Nicky Jam

Welcome everybody to another episode of On That Note. This is the place where we speak in language. We all understand and that is music. My guest today is one of the biggest Latin music superstar singer-songwriter and actors whose comeback story made him one of reggaeton's most inspiring and influential figures. This hitmaker rolls above the odds and his own demons to still be as important to the culture as he was when he first began. He scored global smashes not just by himself, but with the likes of Jay Baalvin, Enrique Glacias and Bad Bunny, a highly decorated artist who's won 39 awards. That's it. Yeah, that's it, right? You need to do more work. You gotta get back to studio, bro. You slip in. That sounds better when he says it. You're slipping. You're slipping. 39 is not enough and received 125 nominations in major Latin music awards, including the most awarded act in the category streaming song of the year in the Billboard Latin Music Awards with three wins. And even after 30 years and counting, his name is still ringing bells. Ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for the multi platinum Grammy Award winner and self-proclaimed in Sam Yak. Wow. Nick Rivera Caminero, aka Nikki. Jen. I wish my dad was sitting right there. You be so happy. I know it sounds like we have a full studio audience today. I think it was the largest claps that we've had since we've been doing this podcast. I mean, my team's here too, so they happy. You brought the whole crew. You ought to. I had too. Yeah, thank you all for hanging out. Thank you for taking the time. I know you got a busy schedule. You had an off to Australia tomorrow. Do some shows. You said in Melbourne and Sydney. Yes, sir. Yeah, you're going to love it. You're going to love it. Australia is one of our favorite places in the world. Really? Yeah. I mean, I've been there years ago when I was like, probably like my 20, my early 20s, but like I'm looking forward to go like I want to know what it's awesome. I know they got kangaroos and stuff. Yeah. What's the weather this time of year in Australia? It's there in their summer. So it's going to be nice. It's going to be hella hot. Because when I went, when I went there and I'm sorry, I'm speaking about this. I thought kangaroos were cooler because you saw the cartoons and stuff. Oh, no, no, no. They don't know. No, no, they thought that. I don't fuck you up. And they're big. Oh, man, I saw the kangaroos. They were like, yeah, you know, no, no, no, yeah. Like shit. And he looked like he won't want my ass. They not to be fucked with. Damn. And koalas, they look like they hired 24 seven because they are. They are. Right. They don't want your snoops. They're right. Right. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And they do is they, they eat green. They eat these eucalyptus leaves, which makes them, you know, get high. That makes them get high. So that's why they always walk around. You know, being to take that too late. No, I wouldn't do that. Don't do that. Don't do that. I don't need that up to the koalas. All right. Yeah. But by you being married, thank goodness. I've been good, man. Happy, you know, working a lot. This is a, I think it's my eighth album, right? Wow. I just finished my, my ninth eighth album. Yeah. Yeah. So many hits can't keep count. Eighth album. Just finish. Yeah. Who's talking? Eighth album just finished and it's coming out this year. Okay. Just finished a Europe tour and about to, you know, do a couple of more shows and just relax, you know, on Christmas. Hopefully you'll let me relax on Christmas because he got me working even. I think he's trying to make me work on New Year's Eve too. So that's the slave drive. That's my manager right there. Ah, I see. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, yeah, right. Right. All right. Please, please let the man like hang out on Christmas. Please. Just, just let him hang out. What's Christmas dinner look like for you? What's a Christmas dinner look like? For me, it's just my, my friends and my wife and, you know, and just, and just relax, you know, just, what are you eating now? Oh, what we eat? We eat, we, uh, Puerto Rico, we eat something called, uh, it's, it's called a rocongandules. Okay. I don't know how to say that in English. It's just rice with a type of bean. Okay. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. pause. Right, right, right. That big. Yeah. It's a few things, but uh, and that's it, man. You know, like the whole family and just relax. That's what's up. And you're in Miami, right? I'm in Miami. I'm based in Miami right now. Okay. Now, you mentioned something in a conversation I heard you have, like, you know, because I got to look up, I looked up some of your interviews and research. Are you really, do you really suffer from insomnia? Yeah, I do. You really do. Yeah, man. So on average, how much sleep do you get a week? How much sleep do I get a week? Well, I could say, uh, hmm, a night. I could, yeah, night is easier to say. I could say max like five, four hours. That's not too bad. No, but that's not every night. Oh, I see. So let's say I'll have like a night where I don't sleep. And then the next night, I'll sleep five hours. Then I'll have another night where I don't sleep. And then the next night. Wow. It's an, it's, it's, it's from you thing. Exit. I have a lot of anxiety. Um, I got to keep moving the whole time and it's something that I've been, you know, you know, the, probably my past days with the drugs. Yeah. I used to do drugs back in the days and I was a drug addict. From since I was 11 years old until I was like, you could say, uh, 29, 28 years old. Wow. When you stop doing drugs, stuff like that happens because your system is like, yeah, you know, it's trying to find himself. It's, it's even so crazy that me and my wife, we don't sleep in the same room because, uh, like I, I, I, I, I'll be with my wife watching TV. And then when she falls asleep, I got to go to another one. Right. Because I don't sleep. Yeah. I'm asking somebody trying to sleep. Yeah. Yeah. You all, you waking up every, every 20, 30 minutes. Yeah. You know, and he's next to the bed doing jumping jacks and shit. He's like, what are you doing? Yeah. Yeah. So, so, you know, when she wakes up in the morning, she's like, good morning, baby. I'm like, all right. I'll go to your room now. Yeah. Because of that. I don't sleep. Now, does that affect, like, say, I mean, you're flying to Australia tomorrow? Yeah. Like, will that affect your performance? Because now, with the insomnia, now you're in a totally different time zone. So how does that work? How does that work physically on you? You could say I'm used to not sleeping that much. So it'll probably take a toll on me in a couple of years. But when it comes to performing, once I'm on that stage, and I hear the people, I'm screaming, it's like, you're drilling it, makes me forget everything. That battery pack. You know, so it's like, I've been almost like feeling so bad and sick and telling my wife, like, oh, baby, I feel so bad. Yeah. And once I'm on that stage, it's like, it cures me. And then when I finish performing, you never get that, that, I don't know, it looks not everybody gets that, but one of the hardest jobs in the world, I think sometimes is being in the singer because we have to go through the whole day to make people happy. You know what I'm saying? So the thing is, because I don't sleep that much, when it's already 20 minutes before going on stage, I feel like shit. Yeah, yeah. I feel like I'm like shit, like I'm like, oh, and then everybody, obviously, you know, you got to a city, you got to take pictures with the person that from the poor, the show and the fans, you got to politics. That moment right there for me is like the worst moment. Yeah. Yeah. A lot of people don't understand the, the rigors of being a performer. A lot of people just see the, the perks. They see the, the jewels, they see the girls, they see the screaming fans and all that other stuff. But the truth is, is that like there's so many things that you're doing before that one hour that you're performing. Exactly. And you have to do it because it sets up everything for that one hour. And today, and today, I'm sorry, I'm up today. No, today we have something called TikTok, social media. Right. And then back in the days, you messed up, you know, you go through, like you go through today is like, even if you're tired, you could like, you know, they will say, like they take every angle of you on TikTok. Yeah. Like, I didn't know that, like, I know that they, they recorded shows and they will come on TikTok. Now I go through TikTok and I see, yeah, when I'm getting out the car, right? You didn't even know you were being filmed when I'm walking, right? When I come out the bathroom, yeah, every single moment. So now it's weird. You got to be really careful. You can't even be tired. Yeah. Well, my thing is this, you know, and, and maybe because I'm, I'm always, so I, I kind of speak from where I, where the industry once was because I, I remember it. So I, I seen it before all of this other, you know, these other platforms came into play. And we were taught that, um, you always keep your private life private period. Give a fuck when anybody say no matter what the situation is, your life is your life. Because once you let people in, you can't kick them out. Yeah, it's true. Yeah, I'm saying so. So that's a problem. I have. Well, well, that, that's that, but that, well, here's the thing. I mean, you're human. And sometimes you're going to say some shit from time to time that that's going to piss you off or, or, you know, you're not happy about something, whatever. And even though somebody might take a video of that at the wrong time, it can easily be articulated as saying, I'm a human being. And I'm going to have human moments from time to time. Like we get so bent out of shape because, you know, a TikTok video goes viral and everybody's looking at you a certain way. And the truth is, especially now, people are going to say, all kinds of stuff. I was going to curse, but all kinds of stuff about you, like even when we started this podcast, like we have, it hasn't even been eight months. And you'll hear people with some of their opinions, most of it good. Now, I'm not going to lie. Like we got great people that love what we're doing, but at the same time, you know, you'll have a few that say this or say that about the guest or, or whatever. And it just made me realize that this is just the new age. People got phones now and they have the ability to just fire off whatever it is. And they have no matter how dumb it is, and you just got to kind of brush it off. And you can't make everybody happy. No, you can't. There's always going to be somebody matter what you do. You cannot. And I learned that, you know, because I've been through a lot of controversial moments in my, in my career. Right. And what I learned is that, you know, it'll be some huge one day and then the next stage is a little bit usual and a small learning, then it goes away. It goes away. Just, you know, you got to allow people to learn something else will take its place. Yeah. And somebody else will fuck somebody else. And yeah, you know, it's a cause. But the point is the fuck up. And then you're off the hook and somebody else's problem. And the bottom line is that, guess what? As my dad used to told me, he said this too. He sat down when he was drunk. One day, I was 15 years old and he sat plopped down on the couch from coming from the bar. And he just felt like he needed to tell me this. He said, son, you're going to fuck up. He said it. You're going to break some hearts. You're going to disappoint people. You're going to piss people off. It's not the end of the fucking world. Get up, brush your shoulders off and keep walking. He said this to me 30 years ago before TikTok. And obviously the impact was real because you still remember it today. Exactly. Because it applies. It applies. Probably more now than it did when he told me 30 years ago. So even now after he's been gone for five years, he's still taking me to school. So and that's a real jewel. Like don't trip to it is what it is, bro. Like, you know what I mean? Like you're going to make mistakes. Like ain't nobody on this earth walking around here. Perfect. I don't know. Not one. So as long as you're able to show grace and it allows you to receive it. And that's the bottom line, man. So I just say that to say that because again, I appreciate that. I'm big on energy. I'm big on energy and you got good energy. So I just wanted to kind of like to say that. I mean, those words. So let's, so let's go back because I like to do a segment called we're going to go back way back, back in the time. Okay. All right. Now about 10 at age 10, you moved to San Juan if I'm not mistaken. Yes, sir. We're voting. And that was a turning point for you. Because you know, your musical influences might have shifted from being in what Connecticut. If I'm not mistaken, Massachusetts. Massachusetts. I was in the last Massachusetts. Massachusetts to go into Puerto Rico. That's like a complete culture change, you know, from from the base of it. Let me know what you were listening to at the age of 10. That's a formative year. And that that's right between you not being a kid anymore growing out of being a kid. Being kind of a younger man. So what was the music that you remember that you listened to that inspired you to say, you know what? I want to do that too. I could say I was listening to a L.O. Kuja. Erie being Raqim. Oh, classics. I was listening to a. It was even house music going on. You know, I'm saying like, I remember that song that I got the power. I don't don't. I was going on. I don't don't. It was crazy. It was 91 I think. And 91, it was like everything was going on. Yeah. You know, I'm saying you had a little bit of house going on. You had, you had a, you had hip hop going on. Yeah. And the thing is when I go to Puerto Rico, obviously you have the influence of hip hop and everything like that. But what's really going on in Puerto Rico is reggae music. People was listening to reggae music from Jamaica. And it was the first time I saw people dancing reggae. So, you know, mind you back in the days and in the States, even in like any club, the way people with dance was separated. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? It was just a vibe. Yeah. When I saw people dancing reggae for the first time, it was it was at a place in front of my house. They had a party. I looked in the, I picked in the window. I was like, I was like 11, 12 years old. I saw people dancing reggae and it looked like they were having sex. Yeah. I was like, what the, what is this? Like this is, I've never seen like reggae music before because you don't really listen to that in Massachusetts or New York. I mean, probably New York and some parts, but not really. It wasn't really popping that much. And if it was, I wasn't not in Massachusetts. Right. So, so it was love at first sight. Yeah. I said, yeah, hip hop is bad ass. You know, it's like it's skills and all that in lyrics and but reggae is sexy. It's just sexy. It is something about something about two people dancing and the beat and the way by those days it was shovel ranks. Yeah. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? And the beat was just crazy. And I said, I want a part of this. Mm hmm. The problem is, I didn't know, no Spanish at all. None? None, no Spanish. I was a straight up gringo. Deadass? Yeah. I mean, I went to Puerto Rico because my dad called a case and then my dad knew that my mom was a drug addict and my dad knew that if he went back to court, he was going to go to jail. So what he did was he said, I got to take him and I got to go somewhere else because I'm not who's going to take care of my kids. Yeah. So he took me like, fourth to Puerto Rico, which I wasn't bad at all. And Puerto Rico is beautiful, you know what I'm saying? But you know, but it's the switch of culture is crazy. Yeah. You know, when you when you go to the States, you could be in the hood and it's never going to look like the hood in Puerto Rico. Right. Never. Right. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. You see ocean and you see palm trees and you see like 50 kids with no shirt on selling jobs and all that shit. Yeah. I went to the hood. Yeah. So it was like, well, I wasn't in the hood in Puerto Rico and in the States. But this is a different type of vibe. You know what I'm saying? So I knew I started I started singing over there in Puerto Rico in English. I used to rap. Right. I was rapping. And of course they never seen a kid 11 years old. Right, right, right, right. Rapping and everybody was crazy about it. Yeah. But I knew that it was going to take me nowhere because I said, if I don't learn the language here in this in this country, I'm not going to do anything. Hmm. So for some reason, I used to pack grocery of us from some reason. Nothing. I was used to pack grocery to make some money, you know, help my dad and everything. I used to make $20 every day. My quarters every day I used to go to my cigarettes, ham, cheese, milk, everything to help my dad. Right. And I used to freestyle every time I used to pack the groceries. Hmm. Uh, with my bad Spanish that I had in a little bit of English, you know, I used to do it in Spanish. Right. I became like a small celebrity at the supermarket. And everybody used to go with it. I'm like, yo, you got to see this little kid man. He'd be rapping and you know, just pretend you're back in some groceries. What was that first rap that you had? Do you remember it? The one that people got you on. Nah, he used to be rapping. And like, the man, man, me, get a little bit of a comprate that you got the mayonnaise. He's like, I mean, the tomato. And like, I used to say, I used to, you know, like just freestyle about it. You're rapping in the groceries. Yeah. I'm rapping in the groceries. Yeah. That's crazy. And then this lady, one day this lady comes and she's like, he's like, yo, she's like, you ain't gonna rap today for me? I'm like, yeah, sure. I started freestyle and everything. And I don't know where she's like, can you come with me? I'm like, hell no. I'm like, what are you doing? I'm like, what are you doing? You're like, I'm not gonna rap. I'm not gonna rap. I'm not gonna rap good, man. I'm like, that, you know what I mean? I'm 11 years old and she's like, nah, because, you know, my husband, he's a producer for a, he's a manager for a record label called MP Records in those days over there in Puerto Rico. And I would love him to listen to your music. So I just went over there to him and I started rapping. And then two days after, they came with a contract like this big. Of course, man. That's crazy. My dad signed that contract. And he's like, yo, you want me to sign them? I signed it. I don't even know what the thing is just right there. Right, right, right. And I did my first album in 1994. I was like, 12 or 12 something years old. Yeah, it did. First album, man. That's crazy. Now, is it true? Because I mean, I know the era of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent. Yes, yes. But you lied about being Jamaican. Yes, yes, I did. I did. I did because back in it. That's good. That's funny because Jamaican do came to me like years ago, like, oh, you said you was Jamaican, you lied. But yeah, the thing is, the reggae scene was killing the game so much in Puerto Rico. And I can speak Spanish, so I wanted to sing. So I started singing like bad English. You want to go jump on dope? You know, like that reggae come on, no, no, no, no, not in my brain, not in this. I wouldn't say anything. I would just say, go, I like Yalmano, talk Yalbert. I don't say shit there, but people love that right right people love them No, for them I can't monogul not y'all I like and but the funny thing is and those days they did a concert right? So I'm already a little famous in Puerto Rico because I'm happy making so they make a concert This No, Patra And they take me and I'm opening for her Oh shit, I'm opening for her so I'm doing my my I'm just doing me I'm singing shit My mother I did like that shit for like 10 minutes. Yeah, everybody craze. He's screaming of course I'm a little kid right when I finish they're like, yo, Nikki We want you to meet Patra I'm like, oh shit. What am I gonna tell him right no her like she's like The fuck are you just saying man? Then I'm like, yo, Nikki So let's meet Patra. I'm like, oh yeah, let's go meet Patra, you know, Patra you know, you're making girls They're like serious like yeah, so you're making you Jamaican and I'm like And then she started speaking at Jamaican Oh shit Man, and then she kept talking like yeah, man, and then she looked at me like You're not Jamaican You out she called you out and the spot Pay attention she didn't give a fuck she was like you like you forgot right right I think it man. I was like I look at you know saying cuz I was just nervous I thought she was gonna put me in the spot. She didn't put me. Oh she didn't she didn't call you out That's one thing 13 years old she's laying on by I'm gonna mess up his house right right right You like dig dig dig dig dig right You know what I'm saying? She had to pat her. Yeah, shout out to Patra so um You know long story you know, it's crazy the funny thing about this is Being in Puerto Rico, um, I used to work with this one You know, I used to help out this this company that used to bring artists from the states to Puerto Rico So back in those years I could show you the picture and everything I got a picture with JC when JC was with a group with it called original flavor. Okay. Hey, yo Can I get open, you know they went to Puerto Rico and I became the tour guide I was taking a medie where JC and I was like I was like um Let me see if I can find a picture. I was like like 12 years old. That's crazy. JC I don't even know if you remember me bro. I wish he did But you was just a young hustler from the gate like you you just understood how to be in the right spot JC You know that's crazy Yo, you so again you you were doing your thing For a long time just knowing where to be somehow somehow somehow You know you you you had that it's crazy how some people just have that ability to just be at the right place at the right time and You can't teach that like you you either have that level of charisma And you or you don't and and you attract people that way part of Being a quote-unquote star is having what people call that it factor that That genus a qua that thing that that you can't really break down or explain But you just know when someone walks into a room like they have such an energy about them that you know that like yo This guy is gonna be something special. It seemed like you had that from junk like even amidst of Whatever you were you know dealing with with your parents and things that nature you still had that light Yeah, my dad always like everybody's sometimes I used to be in places and people look at me him like Like you do something and you're seeing me like and I wasn't even famous here. So yeah I've always had answers I was a kid my dad always said that he always knew I was gonna do something in the music industry or Movies anything. Yeah, and the funny thing is I lied about a lot of stuff that I really didn't my accomplished in my life when I was younger Yeah, like I used to say I was gonna do movies and Hollywood that I was recording movies like I would meet a girl Yeah, when I was a kid, I'm like now. I'm just doing this movie in Hollywood and they got me because I you know Cuz I'm a look so whatever then it was straight up live Then years after I did it. So I think you know you call things too like it's part of the game I used to lie. I was Jamaican and I did song now. I did songs with budgie montage The Gotta fake into you Oh, no, let me tell you that's that's for you say that particular line because there's a statement that there was a Babyface in LA was being honored Uh by the year and some change ago and they used to talk about their early days how they move to Atlanta Cuz you know they from the Midwest and they moved to Atlanta and they rented these suits And I and face if you're watching this if I get some of the story wrong Shout out to face I apologize, but in a nutshell They were rent these cars they would drive around and they would go to these certain spots to look important And they have them dime to their name And they faked it until they made it until they put themselves in the position to become As we all know would they become it sometimes you gotta do attracts success Yeah, and and sometimes you got to play that role In order for people to really see What's your capable love because You know, I'm unfortunately we're all surface dwellers in the sense of we see a person and we instantly judge him But when they look a certain way or when they you know have a certain type of vibe or whatever You instantly want to draw to him and sometimes you gotta do that you got to build some of these people in In order for people to so I'm at it. You hustle at all now You uh as you're moving along doing your thing musically you you ran into a gentleman by the name of daddy Yankee right What was your relationship with him? What was your first encounter with him and where did you meet and what year to what yours? Okay, we're talking about 93 92 Oh wow see the thing is daddy Yankee was already like a legend back like he was like in the streets Everybody was talking about you know like everybody was talking like we never saw I never saw him physically But he was like I wanted to be him like yeah because he was they they they did a mix tape It's like the first reggae Spanish mix tape and he was like when he came out it was Crazy people in crazy, so it was a legend already. I wanted to meet him so bad and the funny thing is I thought I thought daddy Yankee was like a black dude, you know, I'm saying because normally normally the best people from Puerto Rico They could do reggae music where that was the afro Puerto Rican right right right right really like the light skin right right They had that you know, when they came from that the way Yankee DJed and and performance and I thought he was like, you know like a dark skin dude When I met this guy he's white as hell He gave me home I'm like I can make you too if he likes it and he can wrap like that You know, so Madam at a club. It's like daddy Yankee. I'm waiting for this I'm really I'm pretty lost right right, you know, it's like Puerto Rico. We have everything. Yeah, yeah You want to be one of red head Puerto Rican you got it. You know how this mix You know, you got they go got it all you know, so he comes from the afro size. Yeah, I thought he came from that because There was no videos back in the days So when I met when they told me daddy Yankee I go to him and I'm like I'm stuttering and he's like, yo Daddy Yankee was to meet you. I'm like, oh shit really? That's cool. So I go I meet him and it's like He's like, yeah, I know about you Really you know about me like yeah, man, you got Jamaican I knew he's gonna say that you know Jamaican guy Then he comes to me. He tells me You know, I know you ain't Jamaican right? I'm like, yeah, no, it's like but I know you got some talent. Yeah, so when when did you guys? Well, when did he decide hey man? I'm gonna bring you in the studio. We're gonna work together and all of that like when did that start the thing is he had He had a couple of shows in the minickum republic and he needed a backup singer So he's like yo, Nikki uh, I need a backup singer And I'm sorry. I'm asking you this but He saw that I was a huge fan. So I know I know he knew I was gonna say yes It's like can you come with me to the Dominican Republic and you know and and help me up with that. I'm like, what? Hell, I wash your car. Let's go. I'm right. Yeah, so I go with him the Dominican Republic There's nobody that could do your backup singing somebody that's your fan like the number one fan So I was just I was just number one fan right right right bro, and then when he when he sang his song Like I know saying I'm not man. I'm not It was like And people were like it was explosive. Yeah, so when people saw that It was like they were they weren't talking about daddy Yankee anymore. They were like yo daddy Yankee and this new kid They was hit it when it's this um, so Then he did another show in the minickum republic without me, okay And people like you people like no, we came here cuz we wanted to see you with you. What about that? So he's like yo, I think I need to get this kid bro cuz everybody loves when we together. So we started It's out of the group right he caught no, that's not that's not the way we really goes. He comes to me and he's like He made a little bit of money, you know touring and all that and got a record label. He's like I'm gonna give you $5,000 if I can sign you Bro, I'm talking about 19 97, okay, and In Puerto Rico $5,000 when you're poor, that's big Yeah, yeah, and and and you know we never got money for doing music anyways, you know saying dig I say how you let's do it So I signed with him and for some reason something happened with the politics in Puerto Rico where you couldn't listen to our music like reggaeton music Like they were like like it was it was crazy. Why what was it like the government? Will block our music like police will get our cities and and stop What was the private reggaeton? The politician that was there she didn't like our music because it was the words we was saying we were saying a lot of Fuck the words, okay, you know saying sex and all that okay, okay, um The case we won the case after that cuz uh, you know, expression freedom of expression Right, but the industry like what what was going on was all messed up. So Yankees like you know I gave you $5,000 to sign you But right now we can't do we can't work or do nothing and I said no forget about that bro Let's work together. Let's do music me and you I see and he's like okay really and then we started doing music I bet you're gonna do a twist. I think he asked for the money back You know what I thought too So yeah, then we started doing songs um, we saw that work. I mean, you know the story so long. I don't want to bore you We started doing music and Our best friend uh, Tito Makoly Reston piece um, you know, this he was in the he was he was using drugs and all that But when me and Yankees started working together he fell in love with the project So he started working with us and he got out of drugs. Yeah, so before he got into drugs He had enemies that wanted like, you know, he had people enemies in the streets that wanted to kill him And when they saw he was doing okay when then when they saw he was in drugs and stuff they like okay He's gonna die alone but when he recovered he started working with us and Yankee did a song like a street song whatever and he comes out in the video. Yeah, so the dude that uh Had problems with my boy Tito was like oh, so these guys are back in the month and this guy's okay So they killed Tito They they kill him and then they say they was gonna kill me and Yankee too Because we helping out Tito right and this guy had like a six six six on his four. Yeah, yeah It was like it was click this guy was crazy. Yeah So me and Yankee's like, yo, what are we gonna do man? I mean we were about you know Our project was taking off they kill our best friend like we got to get the fuck out of here, bro They gonna kill us too. Yeah, and we moved to New York So when we go to New York we saw you know, that's back in back in 99 something like that We in New York. I'm hustling in the streets, you know selling that mango pinya and the Bronx and all that selling that weed and and and and doing all that to survive This guy's looking for us all over Puerto Rico, man. It's scary and he was like killing everybody It was like really scary. You can see this on my My documentary on on Netflix by the way whoever whoever wants want to watch my story. Oh, yeah for sure and um What's the call just so people? Okay, they got out. Yeah, it's like I'm acting in and everything and stuff so We start I start making money you know, you know, you know selling that we didn't all that and once I make that money I'm like I'll tell you how you got to get man. We over here in New York doing nothing they gonna take us to jail man We gotta do we gotta go back to do music man And the only way we gonna do music is going back to Puerto Rico because that's where people listen to us New York nobody's gonna listen to what we gonna do So let's go let's go back to Puerto Rico Our bias strap you bias strap we do music and whatever happens It's not the first time they're gonna try to kill us in Puerto Rico. We done we been through this before because Puerto Rico's dangerous And it was very dangerous in those years. Yeah, so that's what we did man We got strapped and we started doing We went back to Puerto Rico And you know, I'm not gonna say the good thing is but the guy got into his own trouble over there. He you know He left he left he left to the to the sky and everything and We just Free and clean we blew up Through music blew up Big and we started doing hits back to back hits back to back. That is Yankeen, Nikki Jam. Yeah, and nobody nobody was was In Puerto Rico people wasn't used to you know like two kids and like clean cut kids doing music Normally it was a little bit more little more thugged out right so it was like we were like the you could say like The door that people and all the girls were going crazy and stuff like that And uh, we went from there and then from there's the whole different story I mean that was crazy. I remember working in radio out here when daddy Yankee first crossed over to The states man and he did a show for us at the radio station. Yeah back in like oh three maybe Three oh four. Yeah, it wasn't there was I mean, oh that's what he did in the rachelina. No, no, no, oh yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, nothing when he did gasolina there was nothing like that when he crossed over and did that record shan From the radio side the first side it was I think ran there waste. I was still in Philly when when that came out and um, you know, we got a and Philly we got a huge Puerto Rican like population And and specifically in in North Philadelphia So that's all you heard You know, I'm saying like that's all you heard to the point where even our black stations had to like play you know Like you know, I know, I know, so it was it was insane now I heard that he retired. Yeah, okay. I just want you opinion Because shout out to daddy Yankee shout out to daddy Yankee, but can you really retire? Like and and and daddy Yankee if you're listening like I'm asking a real question because Apparently you guys got into the music because you loved the music right and and we have somewhat of a different job where it's like it's hard to turn Completely anyway, you're creative brain off Did a point where I'm not going to do any music. I'm done Whatever and I know personally and it may be just me I couldn't see myself doing that like not completely So daddy Yankee and to you too ask you just question. Do you really retire? Or is it like a a All right, I'm gonna leave this alone for a little bit um Like the thing is when it comes to daddy Yankee situation One of the things that Yankee told me when he talked to me was um I don't want to be a slave of the system anymore. I see you know and uh God just touched him and when God touches you, you know and and you have a relationship with God You start seeing things in a different way understandable and When he retires what I think what I see is he's retired from this uh This crazy world, you know like this whole he just he just he's doing music for God right now. That's all okay I understand that so yeah, so complete so just because of that situation. I get it in the moment when he said it I thought it was kind of like a statement like him saying like man, I've done all this money You know, I've done all these hits for so many years and I just want people to know that I'm I'm doing so good. I can retire You know, that's what I thought but the reality is uh once we talked to me and he told me it was God I was like I get it. I get the point. He is doing music. Okay. He's just doing music for God. Okay. Okay. That's it That I get like and I and I completely get that But your mentality was exactly mine because the reality is a single never retires of singing. Yeah, that's like that's what you do I mean what if you breathe in as breathing is what we do, you know like how Are you gonna stop it don't matter if you're not on the spotlight in the moment right or if you're not doing a number one hits on the billboards Right, you're gonna sing for life right it don't matter the position you are or whatever You know, sometimes it's not even about that anymore because you already did that we already did that so What we looking for right now is just you know doing our passion. Yeah, enjoying our passion and probably enjoying it in a peaceful way I understand what he's saying because the reality is Especially in our genre of music. I don't I don't know about rm b and and and and and stuff But it's not easy man look You know and nowhere is easy, but I'm gonna tell you why the situation is and I'm gonna tell you why When you were regga tone artists like me I do I do commercial music mainstream music and stuff like that and tomorrow or kid could come a trap artist and he could just shoot I Shoot a song at you Just because he wants you good just because he wants to prove a point So it's like it's like this is the only genre. I see I see this is the only genre where you can't really like say okay I made it in a position where nobody's gonna touch me nobody. Ah, man that that don't happen in rb That happened I see what you say that happens in our music is for some reason. It's kind of like the hip-hop world the trap world Bro, I've had it a whole bunch of times happen. I'm 44 years old and I still have some some cats from the industry Children's songs at me and stuff like that. Yeah, that's there's no peace in that. Yeah, when you're 44 years old When you young is like yeah, I'm ready ready to write right right right make it happen You know, I'm saying but when you 44 years old is like yeah, you pass chill. Yeah, so I really got to take this like Okay, so regga tone is a lot like Because I used to watch like old videos of like Beanie man against Buju Bontan and stuff like that and they would go after each other on stage I forget the name of it. So all of you reggae fans let me know exactly what the name of it is But like it's kind of like that in a sense where you got like you know artists going at different because when they do that They do it like that well. They do it on records too, but The thing is when you When you if you coming out with some music and you just starting and I'm coming out too at the same time and we competition Yeah, and we and we have beef or whatever yeah, you could you could get it. So that's a lot like hip hop Yeah, it's a lot like more than hip hop. Yeah, yeah, but when you're like 44 years old you made it already And this doesn't only happen to me it happened to a lot of stars like you know in the music in the regga tone scene Where they're like bro, they've done so much so much so much for the for the music industry and they they already like they Does so many hits there already off that street. Yeah, you're done with that like you've grown and you got young kids saying like Fuck this guy and fuck this and you like shit bro like So how do you handle that? Do you go to the youngster and say yo bro, I'm I know that time no more Like you want to speak to you bro. I just you got it. That's sad. I think it's sad But I could I gotta I gotta keep it with the streets still. Mm-hmm. I gotta make them phone calls I gotta make reunions. Mm-hmm. Like yo bro was good. Mm-hmm You know what I'm saying? So I can't just I can't leave the streets I still be in it. Mm-hmm. In a way You know what I'm saying? You think do you think That's possible to change like I mean because at the end of the day Nick is music and Everybody's out here trying to Enjoy the culture enjoy the the ride that the music industry is blessed us to give so if you got a young boy that May not necessarily understand, but he's just trying to get on because that might be his motivation. He's just trying to get on So it's just like anybody else like you know, I gotta I gotta go with the at the the highest crime boss To get my name rock get it and and that could just be it. I get it when it's the same type of music When it's hip-hop because the thing is I This is urban music right in the Spanish scene. I'm gonna let you know what's going on Then you got the people to sing the commercial reggae songs and love songs and stuff like that That's more where I go to right you never see me sing a song about guns and stuff and that's another thing too like Why go at you there you go You know, like there you go Then you got the rap like you got a rapper's like go kuyuela Shout out to go kuyuela, you know, I'm saying and he's almost my age, but he's been on war Since day one that's a style, you know, I'm saying Beaf and stuff like that. So when you shoot at him, I get it Make sense because you want to go to the the biggest the type right But it's like what you're gonna make I'm moving here singing like commercial songs and love you dubbing Then all I gotta you know, say what am I what am I supposed to do? Or is it just because you are you are you are a huge artist you nicky jam just that and they just try to get it but the thing is When I see a singer like from pop music in Spanish they say like a Luis Fone see or stuff like that I've talked with them before they they don't go through that They don't got to wake up in the morning and see a song Somebody right having beef on them right and I am be that about them like work my ass for that right I want that but if you say but when you in this music Anything happen, you know, I'm saying that's just that's the that's a crazy part. I'm not there's a lot of good stuff about my John or everything, but that's the only part So when you when you aging and you want to just you know, you work the ass to go mainstream and and commercial and and trying to not really go pop But you know like you know go global yeah and do big things You don't want to be in mixing to be for nothing like that, you know, it's counterproductive And it's a part of you that still got that street in you so it's like you like you don't want to shut up Yeah, you know, you want to defend yourself. Yeah, so it's like it's it's it's It's a complicated situation, but I got I got a feeling that this podcast which Well, this episode in particular that because you you blessed us to be on it is going to reach a different demographic And it's going to make that same demographic Think about exactly what you're talking about because of who you are because of your influence and You're speaking complete in total sense I think that it'll resonate and a sense where those people Will then start rethinking about because the truth is is that what we don't understand is that We control the culture because we are the culture. Yeah, like we we make the music that people rock to So we can also change it Like it is we can't change it like like there isn't any force That is withholding youngsters to then saying you know, I'm a go this route because I heard this nicky jamm nicky jam conversation and Thank when I'm trying to do I'm trying to have some longevity Into this business. Exactly. So and the reason why I told you this is because uh You know, I dressed this is because of the daddy Yankee situation because daddy Yankee being one of the leaders of this Of our music. Mm-hmm. Been through the situation. So that's just one of the situations while I understand why daddy Yankee will probably say like yo You know, I'm saying like I've done so much of this culture. You know, saying I've done it. I worked so hard I could understand why he could be like, yo, I don't want to be like I don't want this for me anymore You know, I'm saying like I'm I'm he's 50 years old. Oh, I'm already like come on man I gotta go through this right now. So, you know, it's it's when it's hip hop is different. Yeah Hip hop is way different hip hop you ready for that right you want to prove yourself every time right you ready for war I don't be though. Yeah You don't have no rb singers saying something about boys to men and nothing like that. It makes no sense. It's it was sound stupid It was sound stupid right right, which you made a big fault But for some reason but for some reason, you did like into the road what happened my man exactly. I'm hurting And you're mad at me But I'm reggae tone for some reason even if you're not Going through that route people don't see it Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, cuz the way we dress the culture. Yeah, it's like you know, I'm saying they see it is okay I see it is normal so how do you think could fix that part of the culture that Bring that company nothing can fix it nothing can fix that all you gotta do is just he doing you And just it what how do you fix situations like that yourself as an individual working hard? That's it Ignoring whoever you know because it's part of it's like walks in the road You just gotta you know push them off and keep going again We are the culture so we dictate How it goes or where it goes no one else like everybody gets confused on What makes the music jump and it isn't the labels has never been the labels They're just a distributors does they're just the guys that Allow the music to reach larger tentacles But they don't create anything They are not the culture. They are not the streets. They're not the kids that are that are making this music and making it pop In resonate with these kids so the same ones that create that energy Could change that energy. Yeah, of course and and and and this is what I mean and this is why Honestly, you know, I ain't going to lie this this conversation is a little more important than I expected it to be because Me not understanding I'm not going to lie and me not understanding completely The reggae don't um seen It Meet you have you being on the show It forced me to kind of like learn and I love learning. I'm a student. Yeah, so it's like so just kind of understanding A little bit more about the scene and now you giving me more depth into the culture Again, it's it's no different really from what I hear with you know my black folks about you know certain Oh the music is just the music is that you know, we got to so change it But change that shit, you know, I'm saying you don't like it stop doing the shit you don't like And do something else like we are the drivers like we of all of this shit Like we can really make things Different if we understand that the power is within us And if you understand that then you realize that a lot of the things that we felt like we had to do to make money Could change like that 100% We we hold the frequencies To what what these kids are out here doing so if if you're you're pushing aggression Then aggression is going to get pushed back. It's causality You know I'm saying so it's one of those things where it's like if if if you understand that and you again you being an integral part In the Latin music scene in the culture Just you being in that in that couch Well make a kid Listen to that and go yo I'ma do that. I'ma do exactly what he's doing. I'm I'm I'm because he been in it for 30 years 30 years, bro Like that is not like Artists don't last as long anymore. Well, like they don't they don't and I think I'm using it Yeah, and part of it is because they don't know how Yeah, they're not being taught how You know you're you're artists. Yes, you are who you are. Yes, but now you've You even even might be begrudgingly, but you've now become a teacher Just by existing You you've you've been around and and I wanted to touch on that because You've you've been through dark places Just like you say you've been you know battling you know abuse since you were 11 and And Throughout that whole thing you found salvation you found a better way Just by you existing and you going through what you went through you're a living example Can you please give me because I heard the story About when you went to Columbia. Yeah And you went to a particular church Yeah, you visited a church. That was the day before I went to Columbia. Okay. Okay. That was the day before you went to Columbia Yeah, okay, and you please walk me through that moment of clarity that you felt because that that that hit When I heard that story so The thing is before I I went to Columbia I came out of jail. I was going through so much. I was in drugs. I was the embarrassment of for the equal You could say for real the embarrassment This was a little bit after that that uh that got Solina time and all that Oh, four maybe oh five Something like that a little bit after It was crazy man. I used to go to the studios on what he wanted recording me It was every time it was an embarrassment like I couldn't pay my house. They took my cars away Remember I had it all and then you know When you when you pour and you don't have and you don't have nothing It's hard but when you had it all and you lose it. Yeah, that's it's harder Because of drugs. This is all because of drugs drugs alcohol bad management everything It's a mix of everything. Yeah, mix of everything and I was young. I was stupid, you know Uh, I did a lot of you know messed up things and hanging out with the wrong people and all that So and I had a big drug addiction big drug addiction. I was taking the perks And I was taking um Uh cocaine and everything and it was just I was going. Yeah, it was it was horrible It was horrible and you could see it on my face. I was all messed up And I did a couple of shows in Columbia couple of shows and I was doing real good. It was funny because When they I didn't I didn't even have to pay the rent and when they call me from Columbia to do this show They ask if they they call me like this from Columbia. I'm like, yeah Uh, can we speak to Nikki jam? I'm like Yeah, yeah, sure you're speaking to me. Yeah, we need to we need to do a show with you and in Columbia And I'm like and they're like how much is it Oh, they they didn't even say how much they say they had like $3,000 in those days, bro I was like I was so broke. I needed to pay the rent. I'm like, let me talk to let me put the manager on the phone to see of uh See if uh, we were Nikki jam in the manager, right? So I changed my voice, right So dear, they got me got my little one gal, blah okay And I I went to uh I'm gonna tell you this story so you understand the story of the church real quick. I went to Columbia. I was, you know, morally I was on the floor. I was obese, fat, like too much. It's crazy. If you a drug addict would normally drug addicts of skin. I was fat. You get it right. You addicted to drugs. It's not normal. It's like, it's not normal. It doesn't look right. People would be like, you're lazy. I'm not lazy. I got a problem. So the drugs made you eat or what was the thing? You made me eat, bro. It was crazy. Normally, you know, drug addicts are all skinny. But I was out. I looked like, I looked like butt like gear. Like it was my face was like crazy. So I go to Columbia. I go to this beautiful country, man. I get there and people, there's a show, right? And there's all these kids there popping in that moment. You got Del Ageto, Yo Willy Randy, and Alcangel. They're like the biggest stars in that moment. I don't remember if Alcangel was there. I think it was Del Ageto, Yo Willy Randy. I don't want to say names without, you know, I want to be right. But the thing is, I go over there and, you know, some people didn't even recognize me because I was so big. You know what I'm saying? So they're over there waiting for Del Ageto and all these kids. And I'm in this hotel. And I'm seeing that the show's already starting. It's like 30,000 people in a stadium. Wow. And I'm looking at a lot of people are performing and I'm not performing yet. And I look at the promote. I'm like, yo bro, why are you making me wait, man? You know what I'm saying? Like these kids are popping right now. They shouldn't be like closing up. Why are you, it's like not your own, bro. Everybody waiting for you. What do you mean waiting for me? Like, yeah, man, they see you as a legend here. Like since you win since you did your hits here, you never came here. So for them, everybody wants to see you. So I take this surprising when I go on stage, when they, everybody finishes, I go on stage and like, like 30,000 people scream. And I'm singing my songs and I'm feeling something I haven't felt in a whole bunch of years. Cause you know, I was like, so you still don't like, not doing shows anymore. People not buying tickets for my, for my small clubs that I was trying to do and all that. People lying at me saying they're gonna pay me but once I get there, they want me to perform. And I will give you the money as soon as you perform. Am I you sure? You sure? Bad, bad, bad mistake. You know, you know, you know, you remember those days here that's where you go to get screwed. Yeah, yeah. I mean, that will never happen again, but. So the thing is, I did like nine shows that week in Columbia. So when I do those nine shows that week in Columbia, I realized there was a place for me to work. And I was really happy. I paid my rent, I bought my car. So in that moment, I was the girl that was living with me in that moment, I'm telling her, yo, babe, I think we should move to Columbia. She like, nah, you crazy. I ain't moving to Columbia. You just want to be with all those girls and that. And you just want to do drugs and you know what I'm all that. I'm like, nah, I'm telling you man, people love me there. They nice work we can make it happen. Right. You know what I'm saying? We can make it happen. Come with me and she's like, nah, like I fucking, I'm leaving now. You know what I'm saying? I'm fucking leaving. You know what I'm saying? I'm giving a fuck, I'm leaving the fucking Columbia. And she's like, you're gonna miss me? I have fucking knowing I'm gonna miss you, but I got 50. I got 60 million people. 60 million people, I love me over there. I'm going to Columbia. So I go to the day before I go to Columbia, I was really, no, the same day I was going to Columbia, I was really, really, really, really depressed, scared. You know what I'm saying? I'm moving to another country and I heard this pastor and he was at the church preaching. So I'm like, and for some reason I felt something, you know when you feel something's like, like stop. Yeah. Mind you, I gotta go to the airport. Yeah. And okay, I said, forget I'm gonna stop. I'm gonna stop here so I stop. And I'm at the church and he's preaching. And while he's preaching, he's talking and he's saying, I know you here, I get goosebumps. And I'm like, okay, and he's probably talking to me. I don't know what he's talking to, but I don't think he's talking to me. And he kept saying it's like, it's okay, I know you here. And wow. And he kept saying it and then he kept preaching. And then he said, just come down right now, come here right now. Let me stop this. I need you to come, please. And he looks at me straight to my eyes and he said, come down, please. We got something for you. So I walk, everybody at church is like, they know me. So it's like, what is he doing here? You know what I'm saying? What is this kid doing here? So I just walk straight to the pastor. And I just got on my knees and he told everybody, this is gonna take some time. So if y'all wanna go, y'all could go, but I gotta do it. Wow. And I started crying and I cried for like 30 minutes, man. 30 minutes, nonstop. And I swear to God while I was crying, I just saw highlights of everything I went through in my mom on drugs, my dad in jail, me in jail, me doing drugs, all the stuff that I saw, you know, when you get, when you, when you go to war, you get PTSD, right? PTSD is a PTSD. PTSD. You get PTSD, right? When you in the hood, you get PTSD too. They don't, they don't, they don't, they, they, they, they just don't, they don't fight. They don't cause us suffer from PTSD. Exactly. To this day. Exactly. You know, so I needed that pastor, I needed God. And God, and I had so much inside of me. Amen. And it just came out, just came out, it came out. And I went to Columbia with a whole different mentality. I lost that flight by the way. And I saw this, this, this, uh, this singer called Sion, from Sion and Linux, he's from a different group shout out to Sion. He, he was doing a Columbia tour and he bought my ticket again. And he got me there, much love to my brother Sion. Yeah. I went to Columbia and something happened in that church that changed my whole mentality, man. I said, I'm going to be a whole different Nikki bro from my one. And it happened, man. I mean, I, I stopped drugs in that moment. Mm hmm. Right, right, right. I stopped drugs. It's a process. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I stopped drugs. I cleaned myself. Look at, look at over. He's laughing. Look at this. There's a whole different story, man. You need me look for like three days, right? I'll come back. I'll come back a minute. I'll come back. Yeah. A lot of things to say, but we'll have a part, too. Yes. But, uh, the reality is, uh, I stopped drugs, man. I promised myself I was going to do good. And, um, and it started with me thinking, if there's, uh, in this country, you have almost 50 million people in this country. If I can make one national hit in this country, one national hit, I can make so many views where I can make other countries want to see who's Nikki Jam, you know what I'm saying? And probably it will work out. Yeah. So I just worked my ass off in this country like I was a national singer, like I was Colombian. Mm hmm. All right, it went from one number one hit to six number one hits in the, in the country. And the whole world wanted to know who I am because they're like, you know, this boy's YouTube is on fire. Like we saw 40 million, 50 million. And from there, you know, from there, you know, this history. Yeah. Look at God. That was really the catapult was Columbia YouTube. You getting refocused and off of drugs. Yeah. You to moving. Yeah. Moving, moving, moving to a dip. Sometimes you got to leave, you know, sometimes you got to go to a different spot. 100%. Sometimes, you know, sometimes especially when people, you know, people like, people get used to like, you're failing, you failing, failing, you know, you messing up and stuff like that. Yeah. So sometimes you got to leave and that's what I did. Fresh start. I went to a place where everything was new and there was the energy, you know, and made it. I needed that to get back up again. Yes. And my genre of music, you never see something, you've never seen it. I can't say you can never see, but you haven't seen somebody would have come back like me. Yeah. Because my comeback was just crazy. Yeah. It was just crazy. I did a whole bunch of hits back in the 90s. I did a whole bunch of hits in the early 2000s. I disappeared for years, almost a decade. Yeah. And I came back with harder hits than ever, you know, breaking records and everything like that. If the last five, the biggest six hits that I have, what it came on is Spotify moment. Yeah. Crazy. What happened to all different conversations? Yeah. Well, that's again, that's that's why I think this conversation is is is crucial. This is more important than I think that we all realize in this room that you are again, you are a living example of when you have an anointing and when you have someone up there making sure that you do what needs to be done for a bigger purpose. Amen. That despite what happens to you, all that happens is that you just become a bigger testimony. Your story becomes even greater because not because you did everything right, but because you did things that may not have been right, but you managed to survive it. On to the same thing. You know, there's there's a scripture that says that the things are written for a time are written for our learning. And that what that means is that the experiences that we read from those prophets in the Bible were meant for us to learn from. You don't think that there are modern day prophets. You don't think there's there's modern day prophecies of people going through things and being examples for the modern man or woman or a boy or girl. Like your story, at least from what I've gleaned is just that. But you'd have gone through the things that you've gone through and you still sitting here today about the flight of Australia with a half a million dollar chain around your neck. At least, at least, to be honest with you, and I go with those words, you just said, no, I ain't talking about the money. I ain't talking about the money, money, money. What I'm saying is my story, for me, is my legacy. Right. You know, it's not, it's not the hits, the money or whatever. My story is my legacy. It's all about that. The day that I leave this earth, I'm just happy that I gave my story to the people and people can learn from my story and know that you could be in the deepest hole in the world. And if you have faith, discipline, you know, and you go the right way, you can, you can come back out of it. You know, so I'm really happy about my story because I know I, I got something to get to these kids, man, they need, they need to listen to stories like me because some people think there's no way out. Yeah. And I know it's hard. I know it's hard because it's hard. It's really hard. He's what's called a living sacrifice. Yeah. In a sense of, well, I was deep. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I can't take credit for that. But, but not, I mean, that's, that's what it is. Like, we're supposed to be living sacrifice in a sense where we, we devote our lives to doing good and sometimes spiritually, we get killed. Once maybe twice, maybe three times, you know what I'm saying? This is so unreal for me. I want to be honest with you, man, I know that you're here talking about me, man, but you don't understand how big of a fan I am for you and you guys, man, I mean, it's, it's just crazy. Like, I came here the first thing I said is, I'm going to hit them up, man, because I want to, I want to, I want to meet you. I appreciate you. I respect you so much. And a lot of a lot of the, if I have any technique singing, it's because of y'all. Oh, brother. You know what I'm saying? I listen to y'all music so much. Y'all, y'all been my teachers. Y'all made me fell in love with music as well. And I'm just happy that I'm here. Like, I was, I told my, my wife knows you. I was so happy. I was like, I'm going to go meet them. I can't believe I'm with me. I'm crazy. And you giving me these words of wisdom. It's so awesome for me. I appreciate you guys so much, man. I hope when they meet you, the boys. Oh, for sure. And now, just meeting you alone, I feel like they all right here right now. Yeah, they are. They always here. You know, it's funny. It's funny that we're sitting here on the same couch and it's just for me. It's crazy. You know, there's, there's, I've, I've met a lot of celebrities, you know, saying I've been, I've done movies with Vin Diesel movies with Will Smith, everybody and, and, and hey, no disrespect to them. I love them too as well, but not a lot of people give me that. That wow, I'm happy. You know what I'm saying? I got to meet them because it's bucket list. You know what I'm saying? Bucket list. So I'm thank you. Thank you for having me on the show. Thank you for giving me that spot. I appreciate it. I hope, man, I hope when they, we sit down in the studio and we just do something just to kick it out. I'm a lot like part of part of the, the perk of doing this, this particular show is, is being able to meet guys like yourself and making some of those things happen. So my thing is we all know each other. I think we've all felt each other's energy and understand that this is authentic. So it's all, it's all a matter of just when at this point. I mean, it's five, like, James, give us your five favorite voice to men and songs. Wow. Don't put them on the spot. No, no, no, I just, we got to know where it's going. Obviously, we're going to end of the row is going to be in there. I'll make love to you. I'm sure it's in there. Okay. Okay. Okay. The him and the guys just did water runs dry in the podcast. Did you catch that clip? Oh, yeah. We had what? Water runs dry on group. Yeah. So I had a conversation. I don't like calling interviews. Yeah. Right. I had a conversation with my own group and we sang top five, just, I got to go with spin them out. They don't matter. No particular order. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Cause I could be, I could be wrong with the names of y'all helped me. Yeah. Yeah. So hard to say about that. Now that he said that real quick, Sean, I was looking through my phone the other day and Kobe Bryant is my favorite athlete. I grew up in L.A. My favorite guy. And when he passed away, you talked about, they perform. Yeah. Alicia Keys hosted the Grammys. It was the same day as the Grammys. Yeah. So watch it that right now. And, and you guys come perform. It's so hard to say goodbye. Mm-hmm. How did, how did that all come to, I was always curious how that was the last minute thing. Well, yeah, it was. I mean, it's funny because obviously the last minute thing because he just died. Yeah. Well, we were just flying in to the Grammys because we were supposed to perform with Tyler the creator. So you already scheduled for the former. We were already scheduled to be on the Grammys. Okay. But, and they moved you around. Well, no. Like, we still did the show with Tyler. The performance. I didn't, I didn't watch the Grammys that year. I was just so hard-broken about Kobe that I didn't even watch it. Well, when it happened, it happened when we were on the way to the Grammys. And when we got there, the producer at the time said, hey, at least you want to see y'all. So we went to a dressing room and she's like, listen, we all know what happened. We need to do something. So we just really whipped that up like that night just to kind of like, you know, commemorate just the loss of that, that, that got me. And that's really what it was, it was all organic. But the first person or people rather than Alicia thought about since she knew we were there was us. So we just connected, boom, boom, boom. And that was it. And it was, it was even crazier when, because we went back, because the Staples Center at the time, I think was called the Staples Center. It's still Staples Center. Yeah, I know. But it's like, we did a dedication for him again. And I never been in a venue with 20,000 people silent. Like you could hear a pen drop in there. It was like, it was such a, a, a, a, a, respect. And it was such a sadness in the room that when we went to sing, we felt it too. And we almost couldn't get through the record because it was a song because it was like, it was so heavy. Yeah. And so it was tragic, man. But yeah, it was, it was one of those things. But yes, it's hard to say goodbye to yesterday. We digress. Rest in peace. Yeah, the rest in peace code. He's cold. Okay. That's one of my four more of my favorite songs is Mama. Mama to my soul. Is it? Yeah, yeah. Mama. Mama. Yeah. I cried a lot with that song. Yeah. Yeah. You know, I don't know if you guys, what were you guys having seen the story, but I stopped seeing my mom when I was eight years old. And I saw my mom again. I was 34 years old. She found me in Dominican Republic in the show. Yeah. I didn't know what my mom was. So every time I heard that song, bro, it was like, I don't know, man. It just, you know, it hit me so hard, you know, the song, it was crazy because it was like, I couldn't sing it to her. Yeah. But it was just, it was a way of me missing her so much in having, I needed my mom so Mama's special for me. Very special. Very special. Very special. Yeah. I'm going to tell you a little story, quick one. And this is for everybody that's watching too. If you don't hear Mama again, it's because of one of our group members who lost his mama. And it hurts him so bad to sing the record that he doesn't want to sing it anymore. I get it. So that might be one of those songs that even though people might be upset if you don't hear it, that's the reason why it's because, and we respect that because what's crazy is, it was a point in our careers where we all lost our mama's or grandmothers around the same time. Nate lost his mother. I lost my mother and then, um, uh, why don't you lost his grandmother, like not too long after that. It was just like, boom. So we were all like, yo, you know what I'm saying? So, uh, so again, just to let you know, you're not alone. That's like some powerful record. It is. So much so that, yeah, so much so that a lot of like one of our members, you know, shout out to Nate too. Yeah. So hard to say goodbye. Yeah. The version of yesterday. Oh, the Okapella version. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Dig. We've talked about that record before. Yeah, yeah. That's just, I don't know, man. I mean, that's just crazy. Dig dig. It's crazy. I think that as a masterpiece right there. Thank you, brother. I appreciate that. Um, it was fun. It was fun. Obviously, the song with Mara, Carrie. Oh, yeah. Once we did. Yeah. That's amazing. One more. One more. Okay. But I want more. I want more. Obviously, I got to go with, um, I'm in love with you. I'm in love with you. I'm in love with you. I'm in love with you. That's good. There's a lot. There's a lot. There's a lot. Ain't no, ain't no, ain't no, ain't no. That's what I want to ask. It gives me a little insight into how he thinks about his music. If you're looking about those records, he chose. Yeah. Very, very deep record. Yeah. You're a deep person. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You got a lot of love. You got a lot of depth in you. Well, you know, I got a lot of love, man, because you've been through a lot of pain. That's it. People who've been through a lot of pain have either, they're very cold or they've got a lot of love. I love him. You brought a lot of love in you, bro. I see it. And I respect those choices because you know that it comes from a real pleasure. Yeah. No doubt. I know that he meant, he listens to these records differently. Lyrically. And differently. Like it is, it takes him spiritually somewhere else. And again, that's the beauty of that, man. That's why we do these records. That's why you do your records. Like it's, it's, it's spirit. And that's what we're pushing. Yeah. We're pushing. If you jam, boys, to men record. We've got to make that happen. Let's do it. And if there's somebody in reggae tone that could do that, it's Nikki Jam, believe me. Yeah. I want it. I got one more question. Go ahead, man. I got to ask it. Go ahead. And I know you probably can't answer it. So I'm going to ask it anyways and you can just say I can't answer it. Has bad money called you yet for the Super Bowl? No. What's up, man, buddy? You got to call me bad, Bonnie. Yeah. You're not aware of what happened. No, no, no. I mean, hey, you never know. I'm not going to call you. I'm not going to call you. I'm not going to call you. I'm not going to call you. Yeah, you never know. You never know. I mean, you and daddy, I mean, when is the Super Bowl, by the way? When is the February February? February, February. We got time. You got probably calling me. You never know. You never know. I mean, he called me for his concert in Puerto Rico and we killed that. So it's proof he's still has your number. He DMs me. You know, I don't see bad money in God. I mean, because I've been changing my number every time. Yeah. So I bet he does the same thing, you know, for sure. But yeah, I mean, bad money if you're listening. Get my boy Nikki. I called Nikki jamming. Make it a moment. Make it a moment. Yes, sir, yes, sir. Really piss off the people in a. Yes, yes. I really don't like a cultural moment if he just like called the crew. Everybody got you daddy Yankee, even like a Carol G and just like, you know, I never thought about that. That would just be like, because I saw that a Yankee, they asked him and he said he won't do it. That's all that. But the reason why he said he won't do is because it's the same. Yeah. He's singing for God now. He's different. He doesn't want to do gospel music. He's doing gospel. You can gospel reggaethong. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Ain't no wrong with that. But I like you know, like you and Carol G just get everybody to come together. It'll be crazy. Because when Shakira and Jennifer Lopez went on stage, they called Jay Balvin and bad money. And they did it. So now bad money is his turn right now. So yeah. Come on, man. Let's make that happen. And call it. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, here it is. Hit us up, man. Hit us up. All right. All right. Okay. Last question. Yes, sir. Well, we know where they're going. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know what they're going, but what's your favorite restaurant? Well, it's my favorite restaurant. Yes. To be honest with you, well, you know where I'm going, but that's not my favorite restaurant, my favorite restaurant is called Osaka. Osaka, where's that? I don't know if they have it in in LA. I don't think so, right? Is there my, no, they got it in Miami. Oh, yeah, it's crazy. It's crazy. It's crazy. Japanese restaurant is amazing. Okay, that's my favorite restaurant. All right. Well, people is you're in Osaka. You had your favorite table. You have yourself some amazing food. And then you're looking out looking at the entrance and in walks a younger version of yourself. He's been looking for you. He's been trying to get some understanding on how to live his life. He needs some jewels of wisdom and some knowledge that'll help him through and they get to where you are right now. So he sits across from you and he's just looking in your face, waiting for you to talk. What with the older Nikki Jam say to the kid. Hmm, I will tell him take it easy, relax. You know, I think that's the most important thing you can tell somebody to take it easy. A lot of things is going to happen to you, but it'll always get better. Sometimes. When you're young, you just you think everything's going to be so bad. It's like you're going to lose everything. It'll always get better. You know, you see old people old folks and you see him relax and sitting on a chair and I can't about anything. It's because of a reason. You know, so just relax. Take it easy. Take your time. Forget about this crazy world. And just enjoy everything you do. Enjoy the people with you. Enjoy music. Enjoy God. Enjoy life. Keep going, Poppy. Keep going. That's a beautiful sentiment. And there you go on that note, ladies and gentlemen, can y'all please give it up for the home boy, Mr. Nikki Jam. Come on. Hey, y'all. And that was on that note. Hope you guys enjoyed it. And if you did, here's a couple more videos for you to check out. Do not forget to like, comment and subscribe.