Relationships Matter Live

Drumma Boy: Success before Romance

• Chanel Scott and Josh Powell

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What does it take to maintain successful relationships on the rocky road to fame? Grammy award-winning producer, Drummer Boy, unravels this enigmatic question as he sheds light on the intricate balancing act between personal relationships and professional commitments in the music industry. Drawing from his own life experiences and his recently published book, Behind the Hits, Drummer Boy discusses the challenges of being single and successful and shares valuable insights on cultivating the right chemistry for flourishing relationships. 

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Opposing experiences, a single woman and a married man, Chanel Scott, and Josh Powell, create a powerful and empathetic team, offering valuable insights and advice on navigating the complexities of romantic relationships and promoting healthier, more fulfilling connections.

Join Chanel and Josh as they unlock the secrets of successful relationships one conversation at a time.


Chanel Nicole Scott:

I'm Chanel Scott, the queen of relationship talk.

Josh Powell:

I'm Josh Powell, two-time NBA champion.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

I've journeyed from trauma to healing.

Josh Powell:

From the NBA to family, I've learned what really matters.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

We've come together to unlock the secrets of successful relationships.

Josh Powell:

One conversation at a time.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

One conversation at a time. Welcome to Relationships Matter, the podcast. I'm Chanel Scott and I am Josh Powell. Yes, we have a special guest today Drummer Boy. Hey, yeah, boy, we're so excited to have you here as our guest. I want to start the show off just by just telling us who you are.

Drumma Boy:

For sure, man, it's a pleasure to be in the building which I'm a Grammy award-winning producer out of Memphis, Tennessee. Author, composer, producer, therapist, changed a lot of lives, helped a lot of people tell their story.

Josh Powell:

Sounds good to me Real quick. Can you touch on that when you say therapist?

Drumma Boy:

Man, I'm therapeutic to a lot of the people Like I got to dive into their life. You know what I mean. I got to listen to the music that they have and then I got to deliver to them what's missing. You know what I mean. So listening to music, I can tell if you're good with hooks or you're not so good with hooks or you're better with verses, what not. That way I know what to present and bring a feature like a T-Pain, or bring a feature like a Roscoe Dash or so on and so forth.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

That's what we do here, oh yeah. So listen, you got a new book. Talk to us a little bit about the book.

Drumma Boy:

Behind the hits. I wrote the book really to share my history you know what I mean and to help put a face with a name. A lot of people familiar with the music, a lot of people familiar with, listen to that track big door. Yeah, boy, you know what I mean and it was only right that I just shared some of the moments of what it took, the wins, the where, the how, the why Behind a lot of these big songs. First song I did on Drake was Money to Blow. Get to shaking something, because that's what drum will produce if it applies. You know what I'm saying. He was going this, going that, going this. I was like bro, we got to do something for the ladies. First record we did was Shoddy. Even though I'm not your girl, I still call you my shoddy Shoddy. You know what I'm saying. So it's just therapeutic energy to help guys transition from darkness into a positive light.

Josh Powell:

OK, good question. So when you because you know, not that you got that under your belt as an author what was like what was one of the biggest things that you wanted to get out on paper, that was something that you was kind of keeping tucked away, that you were like I can't wait to express this in the book.

Drumma Boy:

Man. Honestly, it's the business man. I get so frustrated seeing producers not getting what they deserve. I see so many guys not familiar with split sheets, not familiar with publishing, mechanical royalties and whatnot. That's what's kept me in the game. You know, I got 50% of no hands. We just went diamond. So that back end is hefty. That back end allows me to travel and do other things and reinvest in new businesses or do whatever I want to do. You know, because you got the funds and you're able to do that.

Drumma Boy:

So a lot of people selling beats exclusively, not getting anything on the back end, and I felt like man. Just for the producers alone. I got to share this information. I got to. This is something I preach on a normal basis anyway, but I felt like you know, putting it into a book. I'm a soundtrack to a lot of people's lives. You know what I mean, and this book just breaks down a lot of those songs and gives you more insight on some of your favorite songs that you love for me. So when you talked about therapy for others.

Josh Powell:

Was writing this book therapeutic for you? Oh yeah. And what are some of the other things that Droma does for himself?

Drumma Boy:

that's therapy or therapeutic Writing. This book was very therapeutic for me because it was just getting like my story out like, ok, people need to know the facts. This is all factual, it's not, you know, I'm not drifting at all. It's very dedicated to the facts. And what's therapeutic for me is going to the gym, like this morning I'm actually. I got up, I got to hit the gym. You know this interview was going on during my normal gym time so I was like, man, let me get up. I got to hit the gym every day. You know, just do something, get you on schedule, get your blood pumping in the morning, get your mind right. Another thing I do is writing down my goals the night before. So you know I already know what I need to execute, how I need to execute it, what I need to execute, when, where, why, how. All of those things the night before.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

So look, jamaboy, being single and successful. How has the journey impacted your relational life?

Drumma Boy:

Being single and successful man. It's been a journey, I think. You know my time is like the hardest thing to give up. So any relationship that I have been in, you know it's always been. You're always in the studio, you're always busy, you're always so. You know it took me a while to find the right chemistry with that. You know what I mean and then you know in this game it's hard to know who really for you you know what I mean and who really for what you got going on. You know what I mean. So just just everything. I think when you give it enough time it's going to shed the light.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

But what does that chemistry look like? You said the right chemistry Like does it require the woman to make compromise, sacrifice? Like? What does that look like? How much does she have to give up of herself?

Drumma Boy:

I think now, in the relationship that I'm in now, like you know, I am in a different space in my life, like I've accomplished so much and I'm, you know, more balanced as to man, let me work on this 9 o'clock to 9 pm, you know what I mean. Or have this 12 to 9 every day, studio, and then I man, I know how to stop what I'm doing and leave now, as opposed to just being in the studio two days, three days straight. You know what I mean. Like I think I've matured and learned how to balance a situation and still consider the other person. That's essential. You can't be a relationship where it's just all about you, you, you, you, you. It's just a one-way road. So you got to open a relationship up to a two-way street. Now you know what I'm saying and the things that you want. You got to be able to deliver on the other end what?

Josh Powell:

were. What were some of the qualities that you look into for a partner?

Drumma Boy:

Qualities is, you know, number one is loyalty for me, ok, you know what I mean. It's, as they say, a man of your word. You got to be a woman of your word. You know what I mean. If you say you're going to do something, do it. Say you're going to be at a certain time, ok, be at a certain time. Communication follows that because if, just like I was a little, I was 10 minutes late, I notified Aline. Shout out to Aline for, for for getting me here today. Bam, running 10 minutes behind. You know what I mean. Let him know I'm, I'm, I'm a shoulder.

Drumma Boy:

Epa sent a screenshot. Eta show 1014, ended up getting here at 10 on 9. Still was a little bit early, but I like to be on time. You know what I mean. So, again, you want to look for the things that you have in yourself. So I honestly found a mirror. You know what I mean, especially dating the same time my girl Aliyah, just like me. So it's like you looking at yourself. You know what I mean, and the same things you capable of doing. She capable of doing too. Now, you know what I mean. So keeping it above all the time on my end allows her to keep it above on her end, and that's that's the best way.

Josh Powell:

So a lot of people you know, oftentimes when they're successful and they're in relationships. Does your woman have to fit that same mold, or what does that look like for her from a business standpoint?

Drumma Boy:

Business standpoint. She on a. I'm motivated by her, like when I first met my girl and we was messing around or whatever. Like we'll be up late, two, three in the morning. She still wake up. Set my clock over the work, she still be. I gotta get myself together. I gotta da, da, da, da, da. And ain't, I ain't gonna go today. I'm a Collin. I don't feel like it ain't. It ain't no laziness. You know what I mean. I'm always like just pepped. You know what I'm saying To, to, to. You know get it done. And she that same way. It's like a, literally a mirror of me. You know what I mean. And then she got a second hustle. You know what I mean. Independent entrepreneur, she make candles. You know what I'm saying?

Josh Powell:

100%, so 100% so we're gonna promote that thing we don't have to go and get a hug.

Drumma Boy:

That's the side there you go 1122 candles.

Drumma Boy:

Okay 1122 candles, okay, but it's just dope seeing somebody that can inspire you and motivate you. I think that's essential for a man to have a woman that you can be inspired by your woman and you ain't just looking for other men inspire you. You ain't just inspired by Michael Jordan, you ain't just inspired by Quincy Jones or Michael Jackson or whoever may be your inspiration, but it's dope when you got a woman that inspires you. You know what I'm saying. Oprah inspired me, felicia Rashad inspired me. You know what I'm saying it's, it's, it's a lot of a lot of. You know positive energy and you look for that in your home and your in your, in your relationship.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

Have you ever had a time where maybe the relationship didn't work out, especially with you? Try to unravel and move it around, and how did you navigate that?

Drumma Boy:

Absolutely, man. It's been. It's been plenty of relationships that ain't gonna work out. I think you know we grow from from from just learning different things along the way. You know what I mean, and sometimes you grow apart, sometimes you get unattracted by habits that a person might have. You know what I mean and I see that you're not willing to grow or not willing to change anything. That stays the same. That's bad bro, it's kind of dead Like you know what I'm saying. I want something that's growing, like the trees outside. You plant a seed, it's gonna grow. You know what I mean. Everything living has to evolve, not only so I gotta see some evolution.

Josh Powell:

That's beautiful man. So when we get back because you touched on a lot of things I want you to expound upon your discipline, because I think that's important, especially being a successful man in the industry, the things that you're surrounded with, all of those different things. So when we get back, we're gonna talk about that. Relationships matter, the podcast Relationships matter.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

Welcome back to Relationships Matter the podcast. Before we get back into this conversation with Jumbo Boy guys, I want you to like, watch and subscribe to Relationships Matter on YouTube and all of your favorite podcast platforms. So, jumbo Boy, before we went to break, josh asked you a question about your discipline. I'm gonna kind of broaden it and say, in terms of relationships and I'm sure maybe you were speaking about relationships, right I wanna know.

Josh Powell:

Yeah, I'm basically like the foundation, because how we live our life right, because you're successful and obviously your discipline has given you the longevity, but it's not just in your field, because you talked about working. Now you talked about a lot of different things that go with your mental, physical, emotional, financial, spiritual well-being.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

And then you even mentioned during the break that he doesn't have any children. No, children. So I wanna hear all that I wanna know how you manage that.

Drumma Boy:

Man, I mean, it's simple, like drop off. You're a tough man, Ain't?

Josh Powell:

simple to hear everybody.

Drumma Boy:

I keep that head on, man. I keep that head on like literally. You know what I'm saying. You know I ain't never I had an older brother. I rapied my older brother in St Wayne and this guy man, he was like the blueprint to my life. You know what I mean. My brother got, you know, different. You know I was in two different baby mamas. You know what I'm saying. Four kids, and I had three different baby mamas, four kids, and I always was like I ain't wanna deal with what I seen, just the stress and the different things that he was dealing with. You know what I'm saying. And it was just motivation, like man, let me just cause I was people don't understand Like I was in a game like 16, 17, 18, I'm coming out of high school popping in Memphis, I'm going into college popping.

Drumma Boy:

So you know it's a lot of activity going on between me and women. But it was, it was. I'm stingy with it. You know what I'm saying. Like nope, you know what I'm saying. You know you always. You know, keep it a butt. Like you got women who might, the women will convince you to have sex raw before you convince yourself. You know what I'm saying. Come on, just just, let me, let me feel it, let me you know, what I'm saying.

Drumma Boy:

And you know what I'm saying. It's like that. It almost scared me, like it'd be, like it's like taking a chance. You know what I'm saying. Unless man, I'm gonna send you to the clinic first. You know what I'm saying. Before we do anything, go to the clinic the other, I'll show you my paperwork. You show me your paperwork. We have a paperwork party.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

So people really do that.

Drumma Boy:

I have Okay, he does. You know what I'm saying, because that's a scary fear right there, just taking a chance Like we ain't living in the day and time where you could just, you know, might take some penicillin. You know what I'm saying and so I'm gonna just keep it. You know what I'm saying? Like this, this, this 2000,.

Josh Powell:

I graduated 2001 high school, so Let me ask you this on a different note Outside of babies or STDs, do you ever think about the responsibility of like the other person, like what that'll do to them, absolutely what they got going on.

Drumma Boy:

Talk about that, yeah, yeah, cause you know I dated artists, I dated people in the industry. You know what I mean that, you know. Had that happened, it'll now everybody looking at me, now everybody like, oh man, you done missed the money up. Man, like you know even dating, you know just women. I met in the club or whatever. Like a lot of them, I wasn't even around or enough to even get to know you, to even be thinking about putting a baby in you. You see what I'm saying. Like I just met you. I don't. We might've had hooked up two or three times.

Drumma Boy:

I ain't in Florida, like that, I'm on the road. I ain't in Chicago, like that, I ain't in. You know what I'm saying. Detroit, like that, you know what I'm saying, I'm in. I ain't in New York, like that, every day. So I ain't never wanna start something with somebody that I ain't even in the vicinity. We ain't finna do the long distance thing. You know what I'm saying. So you know. And then at the same time, like I might meet somebody that'll be feeling you, and then I'm in another city the next day. You know what I'm saying.

Drumma Boy:

So now I didn't drink and smoke and I forgot about that. I'm looking at what's. I always looking at what's in front of me. You know what I mean. So it ain't it's numbers in the phone, it's this and that I ain't even had time to. You know what I'm saying. I might've forgot who you was or forgot your name, and you know what I'm saying. So I'm always on the move. It was especially like in my 20s, in my 30s, like it's almost like a blur in certain places. You know what I mean.

Josh Powell:

So, before I kick it back over to Chanel, just to kind of detour, still sticking with the discipline when it comes to how you deal with your family or how you deal with friends, like how you pick a circle, what does?

Drumma Boy:

that look like for Drummer Boy. I mean, that's similar to the women friends, all of that like just having somebody, your friends, you want your parents to be proud about them. Okay, you know what I'm saying. Baby, mama, wife, whatever, you want your parents to be proud about them. You know what I'm saying. My manager, my lawyer, my core, I gotta be happy and not embarrassed to bring around this group of people. You know what I'm saying. Like if I got a, I don't know you, can you know what I'm saying? That ain't I shouldn't. Chanel, don't worry about that. Yeah, you know what I'm saying. This should be something like man, come on, man, meet my people. You know what I mean. If I got to think the other thing about it, he ain't coming around in a circle. So if you ain't coming around in a circle, I can't even look at you. How do you vet?

Josh Powell:

that over time. Because for me, I know personally and I'm sure a lot of it's happened to a lot of people where it's like you start off strong with somebody, One of your partners, you feel like man. It's like my day one like breast-solid, and then you start noticing some stuff. You know what I mean. So what does that process look like? You know what I mean, or is it always?

Drumma Boy:

you know you always paying attention to what they own or how they moving or I listen to what people say, like somebody might be like, hey, man, man, your boy man, he might have to look out for him, man, he be, you know he be he get his nose with it and then, and then blah, blah, blah, blah, bam. Now I'ma look at him and this might be my day one and I'ma try to help him and say, look, bro, this ain't gonna get you in the right path. We going like, you know what I'm saying, I'm going this way, you going that way, I might try to help him, I might try to educate him. I might somebody else might have put it to my attention and then, over time, again time we go about two weeks, go about a month, go about you, might, he might have lost his place. You know what I'm saying, man bro. Okay, I already heard you. You know what I'm saying.

Drumma Boy:

Now, all of a sudden, now you lost your crib. You know what I mean. So I'ma try to get some help and attention and give you some kind of educational. How you can, you know, turn the ship around. Now, once that goes out, the window is you can't help somebody that's not willing to help themselves. That's what I have learned. I spent a lot of time, spent a lot of energy trying to help people that wasn't helping themselves, and I took the. You know what I mean. I wasted time, I might have wasted money, spent some money for them to go to rehab and they walked right out the back door and right back to the oh yeah, and right back to the. You know what I mean. So at some point I got a lit life. Help you and let you help yourself.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

It's not like you keep the main thing, the main thing.

Drumma Boy:

What do you mean by?

Chanel Nicole Scott:

that, in terms of career, has been the priority. Oh yeah, that sets the tone for all the other relationships in your life, whether it's a romantic relationship, whether it's a professional, whether it's a friendship that it just seems like you've kept the main thing. Like this is the priority Because, like when I heard you say we don't even know each other, like that, or I haven't even spent enough time, that's not most well people that I've heard speak before their mindset in terms of it's like this is before me right now and this is what I'm doing right now. But even in those moments where you may have met someone, you're like I still don't know you well enough to take it there. You know what I'm saying, but always keeping the priority in the back of your mind like this is how this could impact my life, you know, in the long run, versus just living in the moment and then you've lived in the moment and now you're gonna regret it for the next 18 years.

Drumma Boy:

Right, this is something I risk my life for. See, you know what I mean. Like, I risk my life to be where I'm at.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

I want to hear about that when we come back from this break. Relationships matter. We'll be back. So before we went to break we were talking to Drummer Boy about you actually risking your life right for your career. Talk more about that.

Drumma Boy:

I mean, every day is taking chances, man, especially in the beginning. I remember first getting a car. I was driving in 15, had a hardship license and literally when I got that car, anybody who was talking about some bread, I'm there. You know what I'm saying. Anytime my brother called me like man. I need you to come to Chicago. I need you to come to St Louis. I need you to come to North Carolina. I need you to come to Florida. I be there in a minute. I'm on the way. You know what I mean.

Drumma Boy:

I can remember time sleeping on the Hunnits in Chicago. You know what I mean my car waiting on the money man to get back to pay me. I done done all the beats, track that, all the music, what not, and I made it up here with $200. You know what I'm saying. I'm living off a junior WAPA a day waiting on the money to come in. I got gas. I can't make it back to Memphis. You know what I mean.

Drumma Boy:

A lot of different situations. You just gotta have faith. You know what I'm saying. I done missed a whole week of high school. Mama blowing me up, pops blowing me up. Don't. Nobody know where I'm at. I'm up here in Chicago I might not get the money. You know what I'm saying. The money finally come in, they might not let me leave. You know what I'm saying.

Drumma Boy:

I done made it out of a lot of cities with some hefty bankroll at a young age, under 20. So you know what I mean. And even in the 20s, you don't know who might be trying to set you up. Or you know what I mean Steel equipment or just all kind of different situations. You know what I mean. So to get to where I am today, I'm not gonna lose that on some foolery. Or you know what I mean. That's good, like I got a. I'm appreciative and I'm thankful and I embrace this every day, every morning. I thank God, I'm thankful, I'm humble. You know what I mean and you know I think there's me coming from the church, like when we was in the church Isaac Hayes would treat the main pastor or sister Johnson, they the same, she just. We all humans, we all have power, we all have ability to do something.

Josh Powell:

You know, whether you're a celebrity or not, in the church we are sister, brother, mm-hmm, drummer, drummer, what talking about, like your younger self, and some of those decisions and I know you're well-seasoned now but, if any, what are some of the mistakes that you've made at this point in your life and what were some of the things that you did to overcome? You know what I mean, if any.

Drumma Boy:

One of the biggest mistakes, I would say, is not paying my taxes. You know what I mean. Like early, like you know what I mean. And I remember one time getting like maybe 10 years behind. I don't even know how the IRS let it happen. You know what I'm saying. But okay, that tax lien came. You know what I mean. The penalties and interest just occurred and occurred and just kept stacking up, stacking up, stacking up. Penalties on federal taxes is a mother fuck it is. You know what I mean.

Drumma Boy:

I got to the point where I owed the government like 550,000. Wow, you know what I'm saying. And it's either you pay that or you got this jail time. Yeah, you know what I mean. And you get up out of that by honestly putting in the work you got to make more money. You know what I'm saying. And getting the accounting. I got a tax person for the taxes, I got an accountant for this, I got a bookkeeper for the books and bam, those three components going together. If I need a P and L, probably in the law statement sheet. Or if I'm trying to buy a house, I got my tax returns. Or I went to try to buy a house and I had no tax return. Right, I got the money. You know what I'm saying.

Drumma Boy:

It's like damn okay, when you're doing things right to elevate your life, it's certain deliverables that need to be in place for you to actually execute that deal. And that's what motivated me and helped me say, hey, I got to get my shit together, man, like I want to buy a condo. I bought my first condo 2007,. You know what I mean. I just bought my first house literally a year ago. You know what I mean. So, bam, just understanding the importance of equity value credit deliverables, paying those taxes on time I think that's like the biggest thing anybody can know.

Drumma Boy:

We make this million dollars. First thing we go do is buy a car, buy a clothes, buy a jewelry, go to the club, get the section turn up. We so happy, we got a million dollars. Three months later, you down to 500,000. You know what I mean when you know some money could have went in investments. Some money could have went into you know money market. You know what I mean. Some money could have went into ROI, you know what I'm saying. Or whatever. Like you know what I mean, I mean an IRA. You know what I'm saying. So it's just about honestly doing the right thing and making the right moves on the business level and putting money aside for those taxes.

Josh Powell:

When you were just speaking, the word value stuck out to me. What are some of your principles, morals or values?

Drumma Boy:

Principles. I mean it's kind of like you just got a principle or something you got to stand on. You know what I mean? To me, in my eyes, it's like it might be characteristics, it might be a word, but just standing on that.

Drumma Boy:

You know, if I say I'm gonna do something, I'm gonna do it. You know what I mean. That's principle, even you know. To me, the biggest thing about principle is just doing the right thing and owning up. You know what I mean to whatever it is. You know what I mean. If you owe somebody, you might have done a party and it didn't go as planned, you didn't make the money, but you still gotta pay the people who you hired to work. You know I've seen a lot of people walk away from facing a win or a loss. You know what I mean. How well do you handle loss? You know what I mean. You a basketball player. So it's a wins and it's some losses. But okay, who gonna be the first one to be in their practice or be in that gym the next day, putting in the work and saying, okay, these are the weaknesses, this one I'm gonna work on so this don't happen again. Okay, maybe we didn't communicate right, maybe we didn't market the event right.

Drumma Boy:

You, know, what I mean. Maybe we didn't promote, Maybe we should do radio advertising next time, or whatever it is, but I still gotta pay. Amen, I owe you 1500, the DJ I gotta pay him his 300, the workers at the door, and isn't it? The bartenders? I gotta make sure I pay. Integrity. You know what I mean. Print the integrity principle and keeping your reputation. You know what I mean. That like you got your word and your reputation, Once the word get out there, you a fuck nigga or you don't handle business properly or whatnot, and the word gonna spread and it's gonna be less people, less business that you get. So I think the principle for me is always been standing on that and that's what always come back and return.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

You know, as I sit and listen to you talk, you've highlighted your journey Even you said starting at 16 and gave us a glimpse of what that looks like. I mean, I want just based on what you said, I want people to know, cause people see you today and don't. They don't know about the journey and you missing school. You know at 16 and you traveling here and you surviving on the whopper, like you said, talk a little bit about the journey. Offer any practical principles to those who are listening, who are starting their journey now of purpose and destiny and how to navigate that.

Drumma Boy:

Man. I mean it's about finding something that you love, first and foremost, because the love is what's gonna get you through the struggle, the ups, the downs. The passion is what's gonna be your fuel. My dad was in the orchestra, so Rap music won really his cup of tea and at this time we taking Trap from a location to a genre. I didn't even know we was creating a genre. You know what I mean. Trap was a location we ain't before GPS, before navigation. I'll be like man, where you at, big bro, I'm at a trap, I know exactly where this at. You know what I'm saying. And every city got. You know what I'm saying. You don't need no address, I don't need no GPS. This is before. I was like you know what I mean Pulling up. They had me over there. Man, you sit over there. Man, cute, I'm in there making beats. I mean like this work, literally, I made beats at. I go to the trap, man, you got to weed, you got blah, blah and we cooking up and I'm seeing what's going on. I'm seeing cats coming in, cats, well, kind of. I'm seeing transactions dissonant. You know what I'm saying. I'm seeing how people paranoid and looking for the police and man, ooh, ooh, ooh. You know what I mean. So that type of environment, it makes you think dark. You know what I mean. It's stressful, you know what I'm saying. But it's fun because you making money. You know what I'm saying. It's a rush but it's like man, we got to. You know what I'm saying. We got to make it through this. So a lot of the beats were eerie, dark. You know what I mean. And when I started playing on Beats for God, it got here immediately. Just that was the first trap rapper I worked with. You know what I'm saying. Shout out to Nick Scarfolk, profit Posse. We was at Fat the Dev Studio, man, every day, just you know what I'm saying. Making beats, cooking beats, woo, woo, woo. God gave me like 5,000. I ain't gonna never forget. And he gave me a little weed get on the road with to go to Chicago, make another eight down. You know what I'm saying. Go to St Louis, make another 4,000. And just the hustle. Even in high school I was selling bass tapes, you know what I mean. And just taking that hustle to know the variety in the neighborhood and taking that, know the variety, and taking that all across Memphis. You know what I'm saying. And to the point where now Pastor Troy calling these other people calling from Atlanta, and I'm taking trips back and forth to Atlanta, pastor Troy gave me 8,000. That's the first rapper I worked with in Atlanta. You know what I mean.

Drumma Boy:

And I remember one time I had just got to Atlanta. Now I just got to Memphis and my manager called me I'm about to do a session with A-Ball MJG. My manager was like man, where you at? I'm like, I just got to Memphis, I'm about to do a session with Balla. And he was like man, I need you to be in Atlanta right now. And I was like shh, I just got to Memphis, it's like 3 o'clock Memphis time, so it's 4 o'clock Atlanta. So I'm like let me call Balla G Again, communication being able to reroute the work. So I called Balla G Like man, my manager wanted me to come to Atlanta. He was like OK, that's cool, we got a show we're going to do tonight. You know what I'm saying. We was going to tell you. So they was going to end up canceling the session anyway. So we rescheduled to that session.

Drumma Boy:

I busted U-turn drive back five hours. So I just drove five hours. I'm about to drive five hours back to Atlanta. We call it the pipeline interstate. It's an interstate now, but it used to be Highway 78, which is known as interstate 22, now 22 to 20. Actually, 22 to 65 to 20. But I busted U-turn, drive back to Atlanta and I get to the studio and I walk in the studio and I'm in the studio with Brian Michael Cox, john T Austin, chris Hicks comes through the door. Anybody don't know who Chris Hicks is man, he was one of the I'm talking about old guru's coming out of DC, did a lot of things with Mary J Blotch, ended up being the vice president or president of Warner Chapel, which is a publishing company. So I walk in the room, we made some beats and whatnot, and I'm playing my music and I picked up a publishing deal for $150,000. And you never would have known that was going to happen. But the will, the desire the passion to be like mine.

Drumma Boy:

I bet you know what I'm saying. Whatever makes sense, whoever, wherever I need to be, it ain't no excuses. There's so many people I see be like when ain't League Memphis, I done bought plane tickets, bought bus tickets. Man, folks are just so comfortable in their environment that they don't want to leave. Yeah.

Josh Powell:

And that's powerful brother. But when we get back drama, I'm going to ask you about your industry relationships. When we get back, relationships matter the podcast.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

Relationships matter, so we have our guest here, drama Boy, and before we went to break, josh, you had a question. What's your question?

Josh Powell:

Yeah, I wanted to ask you to speak to. I guess just different ways I can ask you, but basically, relationships in the industry. You know what I'm saying. You see a lot of things. You've been around a lot of things. For one, because I know there are a lot of people inspiring to be in the business or being an entrepreneurial space. How do you decipher the people that you work with? And then I know there's been some people that you've worked with that there's been some tension. So how do you maneuver in that space? Because I feel like a lot of people can assume that you chasing a bag, so it's whatever, like whoever coming at you. So I'm sure there's probably been some moments where you said no, but that was what I really wanted to get at.

Drumma Boy:

Yeah, I mean, it's definitely deeper than the funny. You know what I mean. Relationships start with a respect for each other. So that's, first and foremost, first thing for me coming up. It was about respect. You know what I mean. Then the money going to come. See, I'm not going to pay you if I don't respect you. You're not going to get paid if don't. About the respect. You know what I'm saying. So it was important for me to earn my respect out the gate period. You know what I'm saying. You're not going to play with me. We going to handle the business and that, like you know what I'm saying. Everything we said to Tom in front of the get go. So if I respect you and I'm a fan of you, da, da, da da, but I don't get that same respect back you know what I'm saying. Then it's a simple keep it moving. You know what I mean.

Drumma Boy:

So when I bumped into God, the people would just respect my hustle. You know what I'm saying. They see me in a barber shop. They see me in a nail salon. They see me in the malls passing out fly, passing out CD. You see me high school to high school. You see me at the games. You see me at the frat houses. You know what I mean. I'm everywhere. I can be Promo, aima, drum and boy with good Bumped into play or fly. You know what I'm saying. My all the Memphis bumped into your got it. You know what I'm saying. Wolf chase, you know what I'm saying. Different artists da, da, da da.

Drumma Boy:

So when it's their same respect, like you might bump into somebody, get their number, send them a text. They don't never respond to you. You know what I'm saying. So you just keep it pushing. I know hard feelings. Maybe you busy, maybe you got another number. Some rappers change their number every day, every week. You know what I mean. But it's about the ones that hit back. They treat you the same way you treat them. You know what I'm saying. And God, it was always like drum, what you need.

Drumma Boy:

I remember on a trip to Chicago I was like man, I need some gas money Make it up here to Chicago. I got to play. I'm finna man. They got like 10,000 up there for me. God gave me 500 and an ounce of weed for the road. Just, you know what I mean. So those relationships made me respect him and appreciate him more than where damn bro I was. I couldn't wait to get back to Memphis. You know what I'm saying With that 8,000 or that 10,000 and, goddamn man, I tried to give my God. It's some money, like man you know what I'm saying.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

You balanced the like. So you talk about God, right, and you done work with Dolf right. How did you balance the two?

Drumma Boy:

Dolf. One didn't even Dolf. Probably when I first started working with God, it Dolf was probably 12, 13, 14. Like he wasn't even. You know what I mean. Wrapping in, he was a kid, you know what I mean. So I'm 17, 18 at the time. You know what I mean. So I ain't even know Dolf until probably maybe 2008. You know what I mean. Have you ever worked with?

Chanel Nicole Scott:

both of them at the same time.

Drumma Boy:

Oh yeah, hell yeah. I was on God the album. I was on Dolf album, king of Memphis, and I was on God the Art of Hustle and Dolf dropped King of Memphis. You know what I'm saying. And this going on during the CIA, cia, you know altercations and whatnot. You know what I'm saying. Everybody know I came up with God. When you see me shot in, pop your collar. Then you holler that's what's up. You know what I'm saying. But, man, I helped bring out Dolf. You know what I mean. And at one time they was cool. You know what I'm saying.

Drumma Boy:

Like God was trying to sign Dolf and Dolf simply wanted to make it on his own. He wanted to prove a point and show everybody that I can make it on my own, just like God had made it on his own. You know what I mean. I can support myself and back myself, just like God had backed himself. So it never was no, anna, from that aspect. You know from what I seen. It was more on a relationship Once Dolf did get on and just started popping his shit. Like you know what I mean. Like this I'm proud of who I am. Like da, da, da, da da. I don't know nothing about the baby mama and all of this stuff. Da, da, da, da da. So I can't speak on that. Like I don't, so I don't.

Josh Powell:

No, I get that. You spoke on like we was talking about animosity and just different things like that. Can you help our men just real quick, because during one of our breaks you talked about basically, I love to say, cause I'm always like I'm going home like in the event that anything's gonna happen to jump off. But what's your advice to somebody that could be in a situation that you feel like you gotta prove yourself as a man and all that you know cause these things come up. So how could or what should a person do from your perspective, in your opinion?

Drumma Boy:

My, your business. It's so simple. You know what I mean. I ain't got nothing to do with me. This a problem and the issue that these two men have and I'm on some Lewis Farrakhan. You know what I mean. Vibes, everybody know me in Memphis. I started the unification process in Memphis. We're welcome to my city. Volume one. You know what I'm saying. I got a song I'm rapping on with God. The area chance I get. You know what I'm saying. Volume two I got a song welcome to my city. I'm rapping on with God.

Josh Powell:

And if that comes to you, then what? Because this for two people, that's one time. It is okay how your problem gonna come to me.

Drumma Boy:

No, no, no, not, not If you got a problem with another man. You can't say nothing to me about it. Now your answer. I might not respect me dealing with the op or whatever it'll have you looking at it, mind, but I just like a dope dealer. I said we, this shit finna, get smoke. Either way it go right. You know what I mean. But it ain't got nothing to do with me. I make beats. I can't control till this shawty low on what up was heading. I Shot it low, steal my niggas.

Drumma Boy:

Shawty caught me the next week like man, but he was just playing around man, gucci man and jeez it like y'all was cool when I met, when I met both of y'all yeah, you know I said y'all had a song, so icy. So what the fuck they got to do with me? I met both y'all when y'all was cool. I met jeez I mean doff and got it when I've been knowing them, when it was cool. So whatever y'all was on to get, which I alone. Now, man, let me help bring it back together. Let's do a song. Let's bring this guy to end off verses together. I was that guy. I'm trying to bring this shit together. I'm trying to get both of these niggas on one song, so as you bring it back together when you go home?

Josh Powell:

how do you bring it back together with the wife, with the Mrs? Excuse me, how do I? How do I?

Drumma Boy:

bring it back.

Josh Powell:

Yeah, so like how do you remove that energy?

Drumma Boy:

and kind of like reset and focus in on your relationship I, it's mine in my business ain't none and none of this really got none to do. I can only Speak on what I want to happen and what I see should happen for us and our city of Memphis and us standing as one. As far as my personal relationship, I come home like Shit, I don't even. All of that business is business. I keep that outside the house. That's good, you know. I'm saying when I come home, what's up, baby? Well, good, like I don't got no stress, I don't got no problems.

Drumma Boy:

You know, I'm saying I made it out my stressful Time period of life. You know what I mean. So driving with no license, and you know what I mean. Like my, I was beefing with my daddy. Hmm, you know I'm saying my daddy told my one gonna be shit, isn't he good? We made a bet for a hundred thousand. I got kicked out of school, university of Memphis, and he would like, you know, embarrassed. He taught at the University Memphis. He, cool with the Dean. He teach clarinet at the University of Memphis. He ain't an orchestra. You know I'm saying he'll know nothing about no drama boy. He'll know I ain't, ain't tell my dad I was drama boy until I was 19. You know I'm having the street. I got Goddy, that's what's up. Tila, tennessee. I did an anthem for the Tennessee Titans. On that song, tennessee Titans, I put Goddy and this Tila song. Double those out. Look, go listen to Tennessee. I did the hook. Tennessee 23's. I keep it clean, man. Tennessee in.

Drumma Boy:

Atlanta, goodie, goodie Tennessee. You know I'm saying and bam, we put Goddy on that junk criminal man on that job. I'll rap P my sister, gangsta boo Tila Maru, hey, stat White rapper from Nashville. At that time I put all of them on one song for the Tennessee Titans anthem. You know what I mean. Like I always been there advocate, that was 19, I unified us for a state anthem for the Tennessee Titans.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

All right, john boy. Well, we come back from this break. We're gonna talk about what you're doing today in terms of your relationship. We'll be back relationship. So, jumbo boy, we've talked about your journey. We've talked about your younger years. We've talked about the industry, the book. Talk to us behind the hits, behind the hits. Y'all get that, but we can, I get the book.

Drumma Boy:

It's everywhere Barnes and Noble, apple books, amazon. You just Google drummer boy behind the hits, shout out to what he, the Clark to me go hope.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

So now where we've made it to today, so talk a little bit about what you're doing today and talk about your relationship as well.

Drumma Boy:

Absolutely, absolutely, man, right now, today I'm working on my documentary behind the hits. I'm working on the audio version of the book I'm producing for some of everybody in the game. I just got my first number one with Dexter daps On his vent album. That, that album, when number one, I produced album on my way, wi-fi and scripture featuring a Debbie though David, a big African artist, you know, doing a little bit more Afro beat.

Drumma Boy:

I'm a piano style beats Caribbean, just, you know, anything is making people dance, man, right now I'm in a happy space, you know, send me and my girl. We've been together five years and you know it's, it's. I met my girl like literally two months after I lost my brother, hmm, and that was like, out of all the darkness that was going on, like that was dead, there's a light that was piercing through the darkness, you know I mean, and that really honestly saved my life and kept me, you know, in the right mindset, especially when I was making a project. I lost my brother. I did a project called my brother's keeper, hmm, which is like one of my second solo rap project. But I, you know, spoke on a lot of things and just got a lot of stuff off my chest, but she was always in my corner to Inspire and motivate, enhance up, live all of the words that I preach about doing for other people. She was there for me.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

So I gotta ask you, don't? You said you've been in a relationship for five years, no marriage on the horizon, oh yeah absolutely it's.

Drumma Boy:

It's, you know, saying this that's, that's heavy on my head. I had to make it to 40. You know I said I had to buy my house. You know I'm gonna. My grandfather told me, like, you need to have certain things in line if you want to put a ring on somebody's finger. So again, man, I'm just following, you know, my protocol and and and being able to have a platform and a foundation for us to start on.

Josh Powell:

So, outside of I know you talked about you both, you both having discipline, obviously your spirits, and the positivity and the good, you know, the great energy that you all share what are some of the other keys to success or longevity that's giving you the five years like? What are some of the other things that you haven't touched on or spoken about that are Things that you you deem important in your relationship and why that makes this person the person you consider for marriage?

Drumma Boy:

One of the biggest things is sacrifice. Okay, you know I mean you got to be willing to sacrifice and, and comfortably. I've lived a great life. I've gotten all of everything I need to get out of my system. So, you know, when you see potential, when you, you know, can see a happy ending at the end of the road, you know I mean you see positivity down this road, then you're gonna keep driving. You know I mean you see some crazy shit. You know so it just you know it's about.

Drumma Boy:

You know seeing the potential, making the sacrifices, of course, discipline, key work, communication. You know what I mean being able to communicate the things that are on your mind, being able to reciprocate that energy. As well as you know effort. You know what I mean Putting in the effort and putting yourself on a schedule where you can balance your time, because time was always one of those things that could hinder Somebody in the house all day by themselves. You know what I mean Still going to be emptiness that needs to be filled. So, just time, sacrifice and being there. You know what I mean, as well as expressing love. Companion you know she, my best friend, talking to her, keeping it above, telling her about the shit that happened during the day or what happened last week, or you know what I mean, and that just opens up a whole different side of the brain.

Josh Powell:

No, that's beautiful man. I'm just touching on communication, right, because those are the positives, and I'm sure you and her have moments, right. So what does it look like when you're trying to bridge the gap on a disagreement or something like that? You know what I mean, because I think that's important to help somebody who's in that space as well, you know.

Drumma Boy:

Man, trust. You know what I mean. She ain't saying what she's saying for no reason. So research it. You know what I mean. Get some information about it and you be like, damn baby, you was right, you know what I'm saying.

Drumma Boy:

I read this and read that. And, man, I need to work on this better or I need to. You know what I mean. That's the only way you're going to improve. Yeah, that's good, you know what I mean. So if I'm her teacher, she got to be my teacher too. That's good. You know what I mean.

Drumma Boy:

And that's their balance. Like, okay, I can't be the only one teaching somebody something. You know what I mean. Or I don't want to be the smartest person in the room on certain tactics or certain topics. She much more educated than I am. You know what I mean. And then on certain topics or whatever, I might be more educated or we might not. Neither one of us know what's going on, but I do research, she do research.

Drumma Boy:

I love information. I use Google for everything, and now I'm using AI for a lot of stuff. You know what I mean. So, just being willing to find the information, read she like to read, I like to read. You know what I'm saying. Reading is where they hide most of the information that you need to know to take yourself to the next level. And we're very therapeutic to one another. You know what I mean and the stuff that we argue about. Honestly it might be like leaving the dishes out. I ain't watched. You know simple stuff. You know what I mean. So you know that's neither here nor there and you know you got to jump on her back man. You know I got clean. Oh, you know I missed the clean. You know what I'm saying, or whatever. Just jokes and funny. Anytime you can make somebody laugh, that always bridge the gap. You know what I'm saying. And just releasing as many what they call it endorphins, releasing as many endorphins as possible.

Chanel Nicole Scott:

Well, we really appreciate you as our guest today. I have learned so much about you and your journey. Memphis, you've turned. I might have to check it out now.

Drumma Boy:

Oh yeah, come on, man. We got some good barbecue back home. We got some good music. We know them for the blues, but right now Memphis artist is killing it. Man, we really hold it down here Pop. They say we didn't took over things. You know what I'm saying. But Memphis is just amazing to see how many artists are popping off. You know what I'm saying. And of course, man, we always going to hold down IRP gangsta boot, irp Young Dolph and man IRP snooty wild man. I'm in the studio with Lil Snooty going crazy. He coming back to the studio today. I'm excited, man. We got some incredible music on the way. So that's somebody, man, I'm honored to be lifting in his father's memory.

Josh Powell:

Man, man. Well, I always like to just come from a special place, man, just by saying man, the man, brother, I love you, man, and I truly appreciate what you've done for the culture, absolutely All the work that you put in. You know what I'm saying. Just that part of it I feel like. In just my opinion, it's not to lower anything that you've done, but I feel like God put that on you to get you in to do other things, to help people in other ways. And just seeing how you move and your energy, you know the times we bumped into each other. You know what I mean and how you say about your name. That's something that you work really hard for.

Josh Powell:

I don't want that to pass because a lot of times, especially somebody like yourself being successful, everybody looks at that and they miss the man, they miss the person. You know what I mean. So I just wanted to take the time to really address the person, man, and just tell you I appreciate you. I've had a chance to watch from afar. You know just seeing how you move. You know what I'm saying. I respect how you move, I respect how you carry yourself. You know what I mean. The energy's always been great man and I just wanted to personally look you in the face and tell you that myself, I'm here you know what I mean to help support anything that you have going on as well. Salute to you. 10 years into making behind the hits, man, I can't wait to lay my eyes on it because I know it's going to be a lot of great, amazing things. That's in there. That's going to help people, man. So thank you for taking the time I tell you my brother it's love man and we appreciate you for coming and supporting for sure.

Drumma Boy:

Absolutely. I want to say it quick 11-11,. Staying on the right time at the right place. Being on the right time at the right place, you know what I'm saying and my grandma used to always say, man, the heaven gate is open, baby. You know what I mean. So find your purpose. You know what I mean.

Drumma Boy:

I started the foundation. Set the tempo to help people find their purpose. You know, set the tempo, put that thing on cruise control. Man, once you do find that rhythm and you find that energy and you, at your peak in the best place, replicate that formula so you can always go back there because people say, oh, you're on your peak, and then it goes. I know some people still on their peak in the 80s and the 90s. You know what I mean. So, being able to find that purpose and finding that moment, you know that. You realize, okay, this is what I'm here to do, this is what God sent me here to do, and as long as I do his work, he'll keep me here. For how long I need to be here? You know what I mean.

Josh Powell:

So you know, man, we're just like that. Relationships matter. The podcast We'll see y'all next time.