Concrete Magazine Issue71

concrete615.com 6-10 .......................Mike Floss 12 ............................... Fooly 14 ........Nashville 10: Magg Weaver 18 ......................... Jeff Staple 20 ................... Music Reviews 22-31 ......... the Nashville Sound Publisher: Capo Ad Executive: Capo Art Director: Rex2-tm Editorial & Nash 10 Photography: Tavell Brown Staff Support: Deandre Haynes, Chris CMR Rhone, Nikila.A Ad Photography: Visual Flavor Ad Graphics: C3GRAFX, Kyro Ink Publishing Consultant: Bryan Deese

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CONCRETE: You changed your name from Open Mic to Mike Floss why is that?

Mike Floss: I changed my name because all my music lives on the internet, so when you google ‘Nashville Open Mic hiphop’ it’s impossible to find any music because you find open mic nights and everything that’s going on in the city that has nothing to do with me. I was like I have to get something that actually reflects my identity as well as something you can google online. So I took the first song from my mixtape that was out at the time and the title was Floss. I adopted that as my last name and took my given name Mike and added Floss at the end of it.

CONCRETE: Do you feel Nashville has influenced your sound?

Mike Floss: The interesting thing about Nashville hip-hop and the way it influences your music is you have to create something for yourself. In my generation all the OG’s who came up in the Ville from Buck to Lito to Paper and Jelly Roll

didn’t necessarily speak to our generation and what it was that we were into at that time. So we had to kind of invent our own thing and that’s the part of Nashville that influenced my sound the most. It’s like in Chicago you have the drill movement or in Atlanta where you have a very distinct sound, very specific sonics that come from your city and in Nashville where we don’t really have that especially something that relates to your experience you have to create something. It forces you to be yourself. I feel that’s what Nashville did for me it made me be 100% me.

CONCRETE: Do you feel Nashville has it’s own sound?

Mike Floss: I think the common denominator in the Nashville sound is really good lyricism on top of bass heavy Southern beats. I think that’s what all of us do extremely well. Everybody puts their own twist on it. Some people may be a little more melodic and some may be more punchline heavy but it’s always going to be really good rapping on top of hard beats and that’s the formula for success. continued on next page

CONCRETE: How do you feel about all the change Nashville is experiencing?

Mike Floss: It’s positive and negative. With gentrification it’s becoming extremely hard to live in Nashville and the cost of living is getting higher than I feel is appropriate. People are really capitalizing on the people that are moving into the city and pushing the people that are from here and created the culture out of the city. Along with that comes a lot of necessary change just being able to see people like the Norf Collective put these murals up and to be able to go to a Slim and Husky’s. Having these different people that are in tune with the culture and them being from Nashville is beautiful.

Hopefully there is more positive than negative in the long run.

CONCRETE: You recently dropped Tennessee Daydreams, what’s the concept behind the title?

Mike Floss: My sister gave me a bootleg cd of Common. I bought a bootleg cd of Kanye from my track coach and then my sister also gave me an official CD of N.E.R.D Fly or Die so that’s like my scope when I got into hip-hop. Before that it was just gospel and Jazz in the house, we weren’t really allowed to listen to rap music in the crib. I come from a very Christian, black Jesus family. So that was my introduction to hiphop and for me it was all these colors, creativity and all these people speaking from different perspectives.

So you have these moments in the album where you drift into these daydreams where a conversation is happening or me making a mental note. You drift into these daydreams and then it goes into the product of that emotional moment and what comes out of that is this creative song that makes me make sense of the chaos. I also have a horrible habit of daydreaming so I wanted the album to be reflective of what my experience is as a human being. continued on next page

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CONCRETE: What would you say is the difference between this project and your Don’t Blame the Youth project?

Mike Floss: The difference between Tennessee Daydreams and Don’t Blame the Youth first and foremost is me controlling production. Ducko Mcfli the homie was the production side of Don’t Blame the Youth that was like his brain child. I picked beats and communicated what I liked and what I didn’t like but I didn’t really have any control as far as creating that. On Tennessee Daydreams, I’m involved on production on every song on the album and then some songs I produced myself or co-produced the songs. I’m all over the place musically on this project and I think that helped craft my identity because it’s all coming from the same place verses when you work with a producer it’s this really dope collage of two peoples ideas. I think Tennessee Daydreams is a lot more authentic to just Mike Floss.

CONCRETE: What’s your favorite song on this project and why?

Mike Floss: “Free Love’”and I can say that with confidence because I tatted it on my hands. That song is the thesis statement for this project, what I stand for as an artist and just my understanding of the meaning of life.

I think all human beings are put on this earth to give love and receive love.

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A lot of times that’s why we either feel empty or we feel whole because we are either filling that void where love is suppose to exist with something else or we are giving it out and receiving it so we feel complete.

CONCRETE: You had a big interview recently with Sway what was that like for you?

Mike Floss: I came to the Sirius building in NYC and they have your name up on the wall it’s like Post Malone, Maury Povich and then Mike Floss and I’m like man what is going on! Back tracking a little bit I had the Common cd and on the deluxe version it comes with a DVD and on there is Common and Sway talking about the making of the album. So I walk in Sway is chilling and nobody knows me for real, they know I’m nobody important. Sway looks at me and says the album is good and I can tell he actually sat down and listened to it. He had notes and specific songs written down and I’m like this is insane but it happened so fast there was no time to be nervous.

After we walked out it was like dog, “I just talked to Sway about my album”, it was crazy because he is a legend but I can’t be that surprised because this is what I planned to do. If I put the work in I can’t be shocked by the results.

CONCRETE: Where are you originally from?

Fooly: Originally from Anderson South Carolina but I have been living in Atlanta since around 2010.

CONCRETE: Do you feel South Carolina or Atlanta has had more influence on your music?

Fooly: I wouldn’t say either because what I do I feel no one from either place has my sound. It’s something I just came upon by doing me and being myself.

CONCRETE: Where did you get your name Fooly from?

Fooly: Initially it was an ad lib. I was thinking to myself man I’m trying to get something trending and we were playing around with hashtags and I used Fooly as one and it kind of took off. Also when I would perform people would hear me say Fooly as an ad lib and they remembered that more than my name. we ended up running with it and it stuck.

CONCRETE: Your project It’s A Fooly World is out now. What would you say is your favorite song off of it and why?

Fooly: I would say Fooly Baby because when I recorded it I was in South Carolina at my uncles house with my cousin Lil Voe. We kept walking around saying Fooly Baby all day. Next thing you know it turned into a song and we included it as a bonus track for all the fans who purchased the limited edition merch. They are the only people who have that unreleased record and that means a lot to me.

CONCRETE: You have been spending a lot of time in Nashville what do you enjoy most about the city?

Fooly: Most of all the people, there is great people in Nashville, great food and great music. I’ve been working with Durty Wurk, Kangaroo and Greedy Money plus a few other Nashville producers on some serious records. I opened up for Curren$y in Nashville and performed at The Dope Shit Only show. I have been getting lots of love in the city and plan to keep coming back as long as the city will have me.

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Hometown: Baltimore Measurements: 32-25-36 Biggest Turn On : Honesty Favorite Designer: Balenciaga Three Artists: Jhene Aiko, Chris Brown, Migos

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CONCRETE: Let the people know who you are?

Jeff Staple: My Name is Jeff Staple. I’m the founder / creative director of: Staple Pigeon, a men’s wear collection, Staple design studio creative agency, Reed Space retail store & lifestyle boutique. I’m also partner in Extra Butter, Rooted, Renarts, Rise and a couple of other brands that shall remain nameless for now. I’m Mostly known for the brand and some of the footwear collaborations that we do. That’s why we’re here in Nashville today, we’re dropping the Nike SB Black Pigeon at Rooted.

CONCRETE: So why do the Black Pigeon?

Jeff Staple: We definitely went through a lot of design iterations and talking about what we wanted to do as an evolution to the OG. We talked about a high, of course. We talked about a retro. We talked about new. We talked about nothing. The possibility of not doing something, which is really interesting, just to sit down with the company (NIKE) and being like, maybe if we don’t touch the pigeon, that’s the best thing to do.

CONCRETE: What was the reaction from the community? Seemed most people didn’t like it at first.

Jeff Staple: That was the initial reaction from everyone and part of it was the way we teased it. Like how the first time someone saw it officially was Ishod Wair, one of Nike Sb’s top skaters, did a boomerang with it and it was super blurry. The second one was Erik Kostion golfing with it. So I think the initial reaction was “Oh its a black dunk with pigeon on it. That’s so lazy, right?”

But then it got people talking about it because Nike, myself and staple pigeon never confirmed or denied anything.Then Complex Con happened and I wore them on stage at the Complex Con speaking event which solidified that!

CONCRETE: Joerilla ran a 365 days of Staple campaign on his IG, How did you feel about that?

Jeff Staple: What he did was amazing! This man showed love everyday of the year for our 20th year anniversary and honestly, it’s something I couldn’t even do! I think he has a bigger collection of Staple than I do currently.

Photo/Interview provided by Joerilla: @joerilladrums

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Mike Floss - Tennessee Daydreams

Tennessee Daydreams, the New Album from Nashville Native Mike Floss, is the follow-up to 2015’s Don’t Blame The Youth. On the single “Free Love”, he proclaims he’s in his prime and with a comfortable direction in his music, he’s probably right.

“Sasha” is a catchy ode to the 20-something year old women who use fake names that you’ll see on playlists soon. From the smooth beat of “Peach Soda” to the infectious flow on “Piñata”, the tracks are as good as advertised. The showcase single, “Take Yours”, features well-placed chants and a big song feel from the combination of fellow Tennessee elites Ducko McFli and Syk Sense. You’ll be eventually giving this much anticipated album multiple listens while DayDreaming in TN.

Fooly - It’s a Fooly World

Fooly masterfully blends back to back punchlines with vivid imagery in “Sin & Gold”, the lead single off his debut mixtape, “It’s A Fooly World”. He follows up with “Flair,” a tale of a woman in his life holding him down...but only for so long. On the catchy tune, “(Addicted) Hell Of A Drug,” Fooly continues to show his ability to make hit songs over this hypnotic beat served with a catchy hook. In “Preacher,” he narrates from his come up to his “come up.” Shoutout to emerging producers Lil’ Voe , Kicstan, Carter X, Foreva Fresh and Trey Smash, who linked to produce one of the south’s best debuts this year. It’s clear that he is definitely here to stay after setting speakers on fire with his first album. Before long, you’ll catch yourself humming one of the many gems!

Nasti Nate - Orphanage 2

Looking for your fix of DJ blends and originality mixed with gritty rhymes? Nasti Nate’s new release, Orphanage 2, is exactly what you’ve been looking for. The selfproduced mixtape is accompanied by a Hip Hop-Folk Hop mash up sound that their traditional fans will come to love. The Moneytree Productions MC gathers plenty of unique sounds on this mixtape like the DJ Scratches of KDSML on “Beretta” and “Breathe.” On “Ain’t Gotta Wait,” he enlists the help of fellow Nashville rappers, Kaby and Squikee Diesel. Contributions from Sta Blu, Teddy G, Todd1ne and others make sure to keep the Orphanage series true to the classic sounds of rap/hip hop.

Jones Ave - East Nashville, With Love

East Nashville, With Love is the anticipated follow up album to 2017’s Lit from the Laundry Room from newcomer Jones Ave. He continues to ride the momentum from his last album by linking with super producer Bandplay for a dope Intro to start the project. Cashville legend Jellyroll joins forces with Jones Ave on the instant classic, “The Bottom” accompanied by an incredible music video directed by Hy Def Imaging that illustrates any given day in the 615. Veteran vocalist Lee Lee Stylz links up with producer heavyweight Shamrock for the second single “Cloud Nine” on a song sure to be a favorite of the 4/20 crowd. With two back to back solid releases under his belt, the future looks bright for the up and coming MC!

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Platinum Producer From: Detroit Attended: TSU Notable Placements: Big Sean, Beyonce, Drake, DJ Khaled, Jazmine Sullivan and much more

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From: Memphis Attends: MTSU Notable Placements: Juicy J, Moneybagg Yo, BlocBoy JB,Yo Gotti and Blac Youngsta

Platinum Producer From: Miami Lives in: Nashville Notable Placements: Beyonce, Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy, Nelly, Kelly Rowland, Pitbull, Yelawolf and many more

Gold Producer From: West Palm Beach Attended: TSU Notable Placements: Kodak Black, NBA Young Boy, Mozzy, Zoey Dollaz, Lil Uzi, Moneybagg Yo

Producing: Eight years Notable Placements: Behoward, Lroy day boy, STAN, Petty and a lot more.

Style of Production: Very eclectic. He could do anything depending how he is feeling.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound?

Chino Dollaz: I think Nashville has it’s own sound, I think there is a lot of soul. I would say that slow bounce or slow soul.

Wants to be known for: Making great music that’s the ultimate goal.

Producing: Fifteen years Notable Placements: Starlito, Young Buck, Tha City Paper, Stixx, Rell and more Style of Production: His back ground is in church so he plays instruments and likes all his stuff to be very musical.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound?

Broadway: I don’t know that Nashville really has it’s own sound. I believe Nashville is everywhere but inside of Nashville. If you work in Nashville a lot of the people in the city won’t use you, for some reason. There is people in Atlanta calling for our sound and Cali so our sound is everywhere but in Nashville.

Wants to be known for: Helping artist become who than can be musically. Not just the music but visually as well. “Artist development is needed in Nashville there is a lot of dope artist here but they don’t know where to go or what to do and every piece needed is right here in Nashville”.

Producing: Fifteen years Notable placements: Yo Gotti, Young Buck , Lito and The Grits Style of production: Gritty soulful sound Production Strengths: The natural talent to be able to hear a beat in his head and be able to bring it to life.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound?

Nasty NYSE: I feel like it definitely has it’s own sound but to put a label on it is hard because there is so much talent here and all the artist are different so the sound is different.

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Producing: Twelve years Notable Placements: Tony Tilman, JellyRoll, Lazy Bone, Lito and a few others Style of Production: The infamous bounce his name is Kangaroo for that reason.

Production Strengths: His arrangements of sounds and his drums.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound?

Kangaroo: Of course we have our own sound. Nashville’s sound is a multitude of stuff it’s not boxed in but we have had it stolen and borrowed so many different angles it’s hard to say what the Nashville sound is.

Wants to be known for: The quality of the music more than anything.

Producing: Ten years Notable Placements: Let’s Talk by Omarion featuring Rick Ross, Co-produced my man Rick Ross, Meek Mill and Rocky Fresh, Omarion’s Between The Sheets, coproduced on Rebel Hard for Madonna, Coproduced on Gladys Knight Just a Little and some on Mike Floss’s Tennessee Day Dreaming album.

Style of Production: His sound as a producer is a huge blend of his church back ground and him being raised around the streets and in the hood but not going that life. His sound is influenced by him rejecting that life style.

Production Strengths: How he moves music through the track. He is descent on all facets weather it’s bass, keys or the drums but it’s where he blends is what really sets him a part from other people.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound?

Mike Ewing: I definitely think Nashville has it’s own sound.

To describe it right now would be hard for me to do because I’m part of that sound so I don’t know what people on the out side are hearing but I know what we are creating moves people and it makes them think not just about music but life in general in a whole different way.

Wants to be known for: How many people he can touch with his music. “I care less about the accolades or nominations because this is my true passion. I’m not doing it for any rewards, I love it so much that I live it and breath it”.

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Producing: Fifteen years Notable Placements: Yo Gotti,Starlito, Young Jeezy, Rick Ross and more. A lot of legendary placements on legendary projects like Trap or Die and Cocaine Music one through six.

Style of Production: A gospel sound for the South, for hiphop, for gangsta music. Does a lot of music to give the people a place to talk and express their actual feelings. “Im Gospel for the reality rap”.

Production Strengths: Being creative over all with the artist. Working with the artist to come up with melodies, hooks and over all songs.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound?

Fate Eastwood: Yea I do feel Nashville has it’s own sound and I would say it’s my sound. I have paved the way for a lot of the up and coming producers and the producers that are right now. I feel we have a sound that we made for our self.

Wants to be known for: Being a producer in Nashville that is giving other producers a way. Instead of just being the music behind ones rap he wants to be known for being the one that broke that barrier and helped the producers see that they can do it on their own and don’t need a certain artist to do it. “You can make a name for your self with out piggy backing off somebody else”.

Producing: Ten years Notable Placements: Young Buck, Drumma Boy, Guwop, Don Trip, Lil Mouse, Young Berg, Young Dolph Style of Production: Dark but will move you.

Production Strengths: Drums, He marched at Pearl Comb and played snare. He feels the drums are the most important part when it comes to his production.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound?

Steveaux: Yes I think it does. It’s a sound that’s in the middle not to fast not to slow but people can really rock with it.

Wants to be known for: The man with the heavy drums

Producing: Nine years Notable Placements: Yo Gotti Fuck Em, I’m Sorry, White Friday, Kodak Black Heart, Starlito & Don Trip Step Brothers 3, Starlito Young Dolph and Kevin Gates.

Style of Production: Mostly dark sample based trap. They call him the sampleholic.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound?

Greedy Money: Not really Baton Rouge and Atlanta they have their own sound but we have a mixture of it all so if you want to call that a sound then yea I guess we do.

Wants to be known for: Putting hard ass samples together. Finding the dopest oldest samples that your Grandma remembers and put it to trap beats for the young people to ride to.

Producing: Fifteen years Notable Placements: Chris Brown, 8ball & MJG , Drumma Boy, Young Buck but most of his accolades come from country like Parmalee, and David Fanning Style of Production: He models his sound off of Nashville and what he grew up around like Pistol. His sound is directly related to that old Nashville sound just updated.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound?

KIlla Musiq: It does, I just don’t think a lot of people are conscious of it. We have more of a analog sound. Go to other places and they may have a dirty grittier sound but in Nashville it has to be clean and if it’s analogish sounding you will win all day. It’s a fat sound that we have and nobody else does.

Wants to be known for: Producing an era of music and producing memorable songs or projects that will be timeless.

Producing: Twelve years Notable Placements: 50 cent, Young Buck, Starlito, Key Glock,Yo Gotti, Rich Boy and much more Style of Production: Describing his sound would be describing his name. His sound is based around the sound of a college band the sound of big bands that’s where his style is inspired from.

Production Strengths: Being able to play everything by ear.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound?

BandPlay: Definitely Nashville has it’s own sound. If I was to say a specific sound it would have to be the club. Nashville likes to hear stuff thats hype that people can nod their head to. Nashville artist and the local music industry like to hear something that is thumping and full of energy. That’s what we love. We just need the right artist to project it the right way.

Wants to be known for: One of the staples for bringing that sound to Nashville and shedding light on the hiphop scene.

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Producing: Over 10 years.

Notable Placements: 2 Chainz, G- Eazy, Nipsey Hussle , Dave East, Yo Gotti’s - Momma & Meek Mill’s - Young Black America. Those 2 records were special because both Epic & Atlantic chose those songs to market the artist albums with.

Style of Production: No specific style just timeless music.

“I’ve carved out my lane with the emotional/heart felt records. The records that may not be the “club” record but it’s always the people’s favorite record. I try to stay away from the gimmicks and fads in production”.

Production Strengths: “Well there’s a difference between composing/beat making and being a producer. Although I do both, I don’t like being put in the same category as people that just make beats anymore. I’m about focusing on the “song”. I get in with artist. That’s my real strength”.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound?

Street Symphony: Depends on who you believe makes up the sound. The artist or the producers? Nashville has some dope producers. Nashville has some dope rappers.

Unfortunately, the producers that are most successful aren’t really working with the Nashville artist. Those reasons vary, but I’d say I don’t think the majority of Nashville artist represent what the Nashville producers would consider the Nashville sound. If that makes sense.

Wants to be known for: Well, I’m already & have been known as a multi-award winning producer at the highest levels. Whether it’s from the Grammy’s to the Dove & Stellar’s or the Gold & Platinum plaques, it really doesn’t get any bigger than that.

At this point in my career, I’m moving beyond just a “producer”. It’s almost become an understatement to my ability in the music business. I’m finding a new passion for talent development, music business consulting, publishing and even shopping deals to majors. If you ask around Nashville, I’ve put a lot of money into the hands of that music community. I like being known for helping others. It further builds credibility & that’s how you grow your brand.

Besides, It was people that helped me.

Honestly in the grand scheme of things being just a producer isn’t like it use to be. That is unless you’ve got your own artist/label. My peers are no longer just producers. These days I’ve been focusing on and building trusting relationships with some of the most powerful execs in urban music. Although making beats & producing is my passion, I’ve got the credibility, education and savvy of the execs. That’s next for me.

Eleven years ago we did a producer issue on the Nashville Sound. Is there one? Who helps create this sound? Is it the producers or is it the artist?

These questions still stand today so we decided to revisit the topic.

Some of the producers who were featured in the past issue made the list again a long side some of the new up and comers. We couldn’t include everyone but we felt that we curated a list of some of our strongest and most relevant producers helping to establish the Nashville sound.

You have more producers like Ron Gilmore JR, Ducko Mcfli, Klassik KVM, OG tha3, Vonex, Slym Got Dat Heat, Evan Blocker, Thomas Stoner, Lord Sauce, Big Bruno Beats, New Bang Hip-Hop and more who help provide the city with our own sound. We can’t forget about the artist, before we spoke about The Blow Pop Crew, Kool Daddy Fresh, Pistol and then of course Young Buck, Starlito and Jelly Roll. Now we are looking at a new generation like Petty, Gee Slab, Chuck T, Lroy Da Boy, Maneeyak, Behoward, Hollyluyah, Red Dot, Shon Gotti, Wilx, Lil Bre, Mike Floss and the list can keep going. We are gaining national exposure daily and the question they are asking is does Nashville have it’s own sound?

Who better to converse with on this subject then some of the producers contributing to giving us our own lane. Soon the world will know what we have known for years, no matter the style of the flow or the beat Nashville is creating some of the best to do it and has no shortage of pure talent.

Producing: Six years professionally Notable Placements: Drake - Draft Day/Know Yourself/6 God, Travis Scott - Back Yard, Bryson Tiller - Let Em Know, Rambo, Khalid - Location/Co Executive Produced American Teen album Style of Production: A mix of HipHop, RandB, Pop, Trap and Jazz.

Production Strengths: Does everything one sound at a time. Very well rounded and tries to innovate across the board.

CONCRETE: Does Nashville have it’s own sound and if so what is it?

Syk Sense: We have a mixture of so many talents it’s hard to put a title to the type of sound we create. We just lacked the business sense and a clique. It’s coming together better now because artists are utilizing their phones to gain fans and cover more ground with no label. Ultimately I see artists that get the platform to carry a sound for their city and they are usually part of a squad like DTP, Dungeon Family, Rocafella, Cash Money, TDE ect. We lack that type of super power clique to carry the sound and I don’t know if I’ll be the one to do it or who will, but somebody has to come together like they did to do it. Not just a clique of artist buying beats from random producers. History has shown when the sound is grown organically in house with producers, artists and engineers in sync, you become unstoppable because the clique figures it out together versus us figuring it out individually. You still having to ask the question in 2017, do we have a sound? Not yet.

Wants to be known for: The greatness in him that he cant see.

“I’ve done so much in so little time with all the artist Ive worked with and I still feel like I’m at the beginning trying to figure it out.

I don’t know what’s to come but I’m keeping my foot to the petal.

People will know me as the most humble beast on these beats from Nashville, Tennessee”.

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