It forces you to find things, to catch up on things because we were ripping and running for the past 10 to 20 years. What was your schedule like pre-Covid, and what is it like now? The world has to a rest for a little bit. It makes you go into your own zone and get create into other things. A lot of people needed it because you tap into your other powers.
I needed it because I was working too hard. It was my first Platinum album, it’s a great thing to have and accomplish coming from the Bronx. I’d wonder, “Damn if I make an album, would I go Platinum?” I used to go through Ross’ crib, he had a lot of Gold and Platinum records Walking around Puff, you measure yourself with people like that. Back in the days, I made a lot of mixtapes. Shout out to the legendary Sal, it was our first project working together. I’m like wow, I wish Chinx was there to see this because usually he’d be the one to say, “Yo dawg, you did it.” That was a powerful moment. He came by, it was me, Nugget, and Drake. We’re standing by the bridge in New York, Drake hit me like “I have to be in the intro of the video”. I remember me standing there with Nugget, Chinx’s son. That album’s so special to me because I remember bits and pieces. It’s the three-year anniversary of “Jungle Rules,” what were your expectations for the album when it came out? We’ll have to revisit everybody because so many people were involved with “Unforgettable,” it’s crazy. I got them their first visas when they didn’t believe it. How will you celebrate the song going Diamond? We all learned a lot about life and the kids were part of it. They didn’t even know anything about phones. With Uganda, people didn’t have medical care. Artists who rap, you have to turn your sad songs. Comedians, the saddest people are the funniest because they turn their sadness into jokes. A lot of artists don’t understand that in order for you to make art, you have to go through all obstacles in life. The whole Uganda thing was a life-changing experience. When I saw them dancing, happy and not worrying about what we all worry about in life out here, there’s the understanding that if you’re not rich in heart, you’ll never be rich. The video is so powerful, what was the highlight from dancing with those kids in Uganda? That record’s my Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” One day when people listen to my catalog, that’s the one. The more I heard it, the more I fell in love. Did you have any sense it would impact the way it did? “Unforgettable” itself has 1.1 billion views on YouTube and over 3 billion streams overall.