Rob Markman: What's up geniuses?
Welcome back to For The Record.
I'm your host Rob Markman.
It's about to be a classic episode, another
classic episode.
All right, today's guest is, an all star point
guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, future
Hall of Famer, in the NBA.
But that's just part of his story, all right?
Because he also has a new album out, called
Big D.O.L.L.A, Damian Lillard, aka Dame D.O.L.L.A.
Welcome to For The Record.
Damian Lillard: What's happening?
Rob Markman: Hey man, everything is good.
How you doing?
Damian Lillard: Chilling man, what's going
on with you?
Rob Markman: Everything is good, man.
Everything is good.
Definitely been listening to a lot of new
music.
I feel like over the summer, a lot of new
releases came out and yours, definitely stuck out.
I think, never quite know what to expect from
Dame D.O.L.L.A, man.
And with ‘Big D.O.L.L.A,’ I want to know
what was going into it right?
What was the mission?
What were you trying to say?
Damian Lillard: I just wanted to kind of go
away from what I did, on either of the first
two albums, the first it was like more storytelling,
just like an introduction to me outside of
what people see on TV or what they know me
as an athlete.
And then the second one was just, going to
so many different directions, like people
just in my ear, you need a club record, you
need a record for this, you need a record
for ... You just, it was so many people in
my ear.
So I think that one was just more like, trying
to find a sound that would appeal to, real
music fans.
And then this one was more of me just like
doing what I wanted to do.
Like, okay, I'm still the same person.
I still do a lot of the same stuff.
The same friends and family is around me but,
this is my life now.
So, it was more of a flex, a humble flex of,
what my reality really is.
Rob Markman: Humble, you said a humble flex?
Damian Lillard: Exactly. It wasn't too much. But it was like, this what it is.
This is how it is now.
Rob Markman: No, yeah, that was the dope thing
about it, I think for those of us, who have
been paying attention to what you've been
doing, musically.
I really enjoyed ‘The Letter O,’ because
it was storytelling.
I learned, who you were, I mean, songs like
“Growth Spurt” and “Wasatch Front,”
and “Baggage” and things like that.
And then on ‘Confirmed,’ it was like the
statement, because I know it and we'll get
into that a little bit, maybe the stigma of
being, a baller who raps as well.
And then ‘Confirmed’ kind of felt like,
all right, I'm sick of the slash, I'm here,
I'm a rapper too, get used to it.
And then this one, I feel like is just lifestyle.
Damian Lillard: My man, it’s the life.
This life, I'm living.
That's the type of vibe I was shooting for.
So, I mean, I'm glad it came across like that.
Rob Markman: That's dope.
Where do you find time?
Walk me through the process of making this
record because obviously, you're an amazing,
just one of the greatest ball players that
we have right now on this court.
And, that doesn't happen by accident.
That happens, one, it's a rigorous NBA schedule,
right?
But it's also a lot of work that you put in,
when you're not on TNT, or ESPN or whatever.
And then also balancing the music.
So when does the recording process start for
you?
Is that going on during the season?
Or do you have to be completely done with
basketball to be able to get in that zone
for yourself?
Damian Lillard: No, I don't record during
the season, I mean, I take notes like when
I'm on a plane or something like that, from
city to city, I, put a beat on, in my headphones
and I write a little bit but I never, like
go to the studio and really record nothing.
You know, but always keep notes, so I don't
forget stuff.
I think of like, sometimes I can be listening
to, another artist music, and I think of some
bars to that song.
And I just type them in my notes just because
I want to remember those bars.
So, when the summer come that's usually when
I'm really in the studio, listening to beats
in the studio, writing, stuff like that.
So, that's pretty much what the process is.
Rob Markman: Oh yeah, that's crazy.
So not even like on the off day and nothing.
you know what I'm saying?
Damian Lillard: No, because once I get into
the season, I'm into the season.
So, if I get off day that's because I'm tired
from what I was doing previously.
We just got back from the road, or back to
back games or something like that.
So, I don't really ... like I said, I don't
really, too much entertain it, just recording
during the year.
Rob Markman: I mean, there's a history of
NBA players who rap and do music.
All credit to Shaquille, Shaquille O'Neal
for his success, because he was very successful.
I mean, you even go to Chris Webber who was
producer for Nas, on a couple of joints.
So there's a history.
Allen Iverson, Kobe had his run … you go
on and on and on and on.
But, I don't know if there's anyone who's
been able to actually put together music and
really kind of garner the respect, as a musician,
and I feel like you're in that space, now,
because, even when 2 Chainz, came up here
when he was on his run for ‘Rap or Go to
The League.’
And we were talking about kind of that concept
and he sung your praises.
Rob Markman: You know what I'm saying.
And you find a lot of rappers kind of point
to you.
And you'd be like, well, who can rap and,
whether they know you from the Four Bar challenge,
or your music or whatever.
How do you beat that stigma?
How much has that stigma affected of past
ballers, who have tried try to do music and
maybe not have been as respected.
Damian Lillard: I mean, I think, any athlete
that try to cross over and do music it’s
going to affect them, just because there's
been so many that tried it and it wasn't natural,
or they tried it and they said, some corny
stuff when it was rapping about basketball.
And people didn't feel it, so now every person
that tries to cross over is like, "He's an
athlete."
So they expecting you to come weak.
So that's a battle to begin with.
You got to get around that.
But for me, I just, I know that I can rap.
So, I'm not going to come out rapping about
how I crossed somebody over, and I hit a game
winner, I kind of leave the whole sports talk
out of it.
But I think the biggest thing I did was take
the same route as any other aspiring artist,
I didn't just come in and say, “I'm a basketball
player.
All my fans listen to my music.”
I took the same route with, starting Four
Bar Friday, like you said, going to SoundCloud
for like a year and a half, almost two years,
just dropping stuff every week.
Damian Lillard: And then I went from that,
started doing a few shows, I did some shows
with all my SoundCloud stuff.
And then, even after that, I dropped my first
album.
So it was like, a long time, that I built
up even to my first album and then since then,
I've been dropping albums consistently.
So, I think I've kind of gotten past the,
"Oh, he just the basketball player rapper."
I think people respect the time that I put
into it.
So, and then it's getting better, the quality
of it is getting better.
So I think I've gotten around that.
But just getting people to not look at it
like, "Oh, he don't need to make no money."
Or, "He's already famous."
Stuff like that.
So people don't want to support it for those
reasons, but I'm doing it because I just love
to do music.
So I think that's like the next thing for
me is just to get people to just look at it
like, literally acknowledge me as Dame D.O.L.L.A.
Don't ... Damian Lillard, recognize it as
two separate things.
Rob Markman: Right.
Okay.
I get that.
It's funny too.
And again, I said I gave you the 2 Chainz
instance, because when people are kind of
in front of you, they'll sing your praises,
but when you're not in the room, like I said,
I've had these conversations.
Actually, I remember it was, Skyzoo put me
onto you, back...
Four Bar challenge.
Was really ... he was like, "Yo, you know
Dame could rap right?"
I'm like, "What?"
He was like, "Check out this Four Bar challenge."
And, that was the thing.
And the big homie Sway always, was on to your
music early.
Damian Lillard: That's my man.
Rob Markman: Definitely.
From The Town.
I want to talk about this album too, somebody
else.
The album opens up with “Sorry” featuring
Lil Wayne.
And y'all got like a real kind of working
relationship.
He's been on everybody project, from “Loyal
To The Soil,” to “Run It Up.”
Now he's on “Sorry.”
I mean, there's rappers, who 24/7, you said,
during the season, you kind of have to focus
on basketball.
Who can get Wayne, on one single, let alone,
every album and Wayne’ll really rock with
them like that.
Oh, how's that relationship develop?
Damian Lillard: I mean, is been genuine, I
think that's the best way to describe it.
I didn't come at him like, a super fan.
But he knew I was a fan.
He's smart.
He do his homework.
And he tuned in and stuff.
So I'm sure he heard, interviews where I praised
him.
And how I mentioned ‘Tha Block Is Hot’
was the first album that I bought, when I
was in the fourth grade.
So, he heard my stuff.
And we knew a mutual person.
And, we connected that way.
And he sent me some stuff, I sent him some
stuff.
And we just started recording like that.
And then we just got cool.
So, that kind of led to what it is now.
He been on every album.
Rob Markman: That's dope.
Super blessing.
I want to talk about “Dre Grant.”
Video just dropped too.
Damian Lillard: Yes sir.
Rob Markman: Like, really ... this is what
I love.
Because I think you click play on the video,
and really get to see a whole other side of
you.
Rob Markman: That we don't get to see and
really see who you are as a person.
And, where you come from and Brookfield.
Talk about “Dre Grant” and ... first of
all, who is Dre Grant?
Damian Lillard: Dre Grant is ... we actually
went to elementary school, middle school with
my mom.
And, grew up in the same neighborhood that
I grew up in, obviously older.
He's actually Oscar Grant, from Fruitvale
Station, that's his uncle.
And, I mean, our neighborhood dance, the Brookfield
is like, we the only neighborhood with our
own dance.
And he do it better than everybody.
So, when I was recording the song, it was
just the perfect beat to do the dance to,
as soon as the beat start playing, we started
doing the dance.
So we called it a Dre Grant.
And that was the whole reason for us bringing
it back to the neighborhood, shooting the
video and having him being like a big part
of it, because that was like the whole energy
behind it.
So, we wanted to bring it back and also kind
of tell his story, through that.
So, it turned out cool.
Turned out cool.
Rob Markman: Nah, it turned out dope.
And you know, what I appreciate about it is,
I think the internet makes the world a lot
smaller now, right?
Especially in hip hop.
I remember coming up, and hip hop being a
thing where, coming up in Brooklyn, I can
listen to a Dr. Dre or Snoop album, have never
been to LA and feel with that vibe is like.
Or listen to OutKast, and know what Atlanta
was, like, having never been there in my life
yet.
And I feel like we get less and less of that,
because the internet, it feels like everybody's
from one place now.
So for you to explain that story.
And who Dre Grant is, and everybody in your
neighborhood knows him and knows the lineage
and the story and the dance.
And the rest of us might not know is like
damn, this record just put us on something
new.
The same way NWA might have put us on, to
Raider coats and hats.
You know what I'm saying?
Damian Lillard: No, I think what made it,
special is because we are, as athletes, and
whatever we are as famous people, everybody
get up and say, "I'm from the hood."
Or, "I come from this."
Or, "I ain't supposed to be here."
Everybody say that.
But they don't always get opportunity to really
go back there and let people look in and see
the kind of people you was around and see
the kind of environment you was in and shine
a positive light on it.
It's always like, a grimy side that they show
to show how tough it was.
So I think this kind of shine the light on
my specific situation.
And it was no actors in the video.
It was like the real people.
So I think that's what allowed people to see
like a genuine, organic type of video that
it ended up being because of that.
So, I enjoyed it.
It was cool.
Just being able to go back and do that, and
get people to look into something deeper.
Rob Markman: That's dope.
And, you had tweeted that after y'all shot
the video that you were able to ride the BART,
that you were able to get on the train.
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
It was cool.
It was actually some scenes in the video,
shot on BART.
Rob Markman: That's crazy.
That's super dope.
Want to get some more, of the lyrics.
“Check.”
It's funny, man.
Definitely fun song, got a nice bounce to
it, is a nice little double entendre, even
in the hook, right?
Like, “I'm about the check no Nike.”
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
Rob Markman: Anybody who's a fan of Dame D.O.L.L.A
knows, you got your own signature through
Adidas, and then plus, we also ... if you
watch ESPN, we know the Super Max.
So We know you definitely about your check.
Just talk about putting that together and
kind of the wordplay and the mentality of,
went into making that record.
Damian Lillard: I mean, like I said, I wanted
to, flex a little bit.
Just off of, what people already knew, like
what was evident.
So I think this entire album, people wanted
to hear me talk about stuff that I never talk
about, and they wanted to see a side that
they've never seen.
So I think that was it.
Like I never, like flash my stuff, or talk
about how much money I got.
So I was like, I'm going to do it, this the
perfect opportunity to do it.
And then the Nike line, it just made sense.
Like, when I was writing the hook, I was like,
it just makes perfect sense.
So, that wasn't a diss on Nike, it was just,
it made sense.
Rob Markman: Little word play.
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
That all it was.
Rob Markman: Did you get a call from Adidas
after that?
Like “yeah.”
Or, did you get-
Damian Lillard: I mean, they mentioned it
to me, "Man, that was ..." You know, they
liked that one, but I mean, that was it, it
wasn't a big deal.
Rob Markman: It wasn't a big deal.
No, but, it's funny about how much to, the
brands play into it, and, what we wear, what
we put on our body, is important, even necessarily
for for artists or fans who don't have the
endorsement, we all kind of ride for our brand.
And it made me think about the line.
When Drake is like, "Jesus Christ, checks
over stripes."
So he's on the other side of it.
And it's just so funny how these things kind
of play out,` in music in a very fun way.
You know what I'm saying?
Damian Lillard: I mean, it happens, because
now more than ever, you got all kinds of people
representing these brands, and it’s deeper
than Nike and Adidas or just a rapper, a basketball
player, football players, like Instagram comedians,
and, singers and, people that's like influencers
on the internet, are like representing these
brands.
So it's like a real thing.
Rob Markman: Right, absolutely.
You’re independent, right?
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
Rob Markman: Talk about kind of how the business
structure is set up for you to put out your
records, where you’re distributed through
because I think, whenever now I think a lot
of up and coming artists who watch this show,
are more turned on by independence, and you
hear that “you don't need a major to do
it, you don't need a major to do it.”
I mean, obviously, you have resources.
But-
Damian Lillard: I mean, I'm lucky because
I'm, in my rap career where I can do what
I want to do, because I can afford it, from
a financial standpoint, but it's actually
hard.
Even for me being in this position, because
you don't have that machine behind you.
So, not only are you going against having
to get people who does in the music industry,
and people who know who you need to be talking
to, and who you need to be in contact with
to get your music out there and put it in
the right places.
And you want these streams and you want to
get on the radio, and you want to do all these
things, but you got to pay to play and people
like, "Okay, he a NBA player."
So they don't try to overcharge you.
Damian Lillard: So it's like, it's even harder
in that way.
But like, it’s normal for me.
Just being independent, I got to, get it out
the mud I guess, even though I got the funds
to support the career, I got to learn how
to run the whole thing with just a few people
who just jumped in it, when I jumped in it,
so I think that makes it difficult.
But it's good to have the control, at least,
of you know, what I'm trying to do.
Rob Markman: You know, it's funny, to hear
you, talk about that getting it out the mud.
I mean, Portland Trail Blazers, obviously,
you're repping Portland, but you're from Oakland,
you're from the town.
And I think when we talk about hip hop, Oakland
has strong roots in the independent scene.
From E-40 to Too $hort, they get it out the
trunk before anything else.
Damian Lillard: For sure.
Rob Markman: And they kind of built a legacy
that, I feel like it's probably ingrained
in you, at this point.
Damian Lillard: Yeah, I mean, I grew up on
artist.
I mean, those are the first artists that you
hear because they local and Oakland is such,
a place that's about our people.
Like I know my dad used to tell me about Too
$hort, and how he'll be around the village
and selling his tapes.
And they used to mess with Too $hort back
in the day.
And that just show you that, everybody from
Oakland is about people from Oakland.
So, of course that's what I grew up on.
That was the first things that I knew.
Rob Markman: Aside from Lil Wayne, who else
really kind of influenced you, when you first
... when did you first started doing music?
And who was it that kind of pushed you?
Damian Lillard: I started doing music, started
just messing around rapping in middle school,
I just with all my AAU teammates and then
in high school we started, recording songs
and coming out doing layup lines to our own
music, then in college we was doing mix tapes
and stuff like that.
But, when I was way younger than that my cousins
from Rochester, they used to come to Oakland
and they used to just beat on they chest and
just rap, beat on they chest at the same time.
And that's when it all started, and they started
playing like Bone Thugs, “Thuggish Ruggish
Bone” and all that stuff on the radio, in
the house.
And, that's kind of when I first started hearing
it putting words together and stuff like that.
So, I would say that was the time.
Rob Markman: That's dope.
We talked about your independence a little
bit, would you ever sign to a major, if that
presented itself?
Or are you just-
Damian Lillard: I wouldn't sign to a major,
I would partner with one.
So I mean, I think if anything, that would
be the best thing for me.
Rob Markman: Right.
That's dope man.
And, it's funny too, even hear you say like,
right away, just partner with one.
In one, I think artists coming up again, are
so much smarter than they were because, we
grew up, we might have seen the deals that
Master P did, or Jay Z did and even if we
ain't know what they meant, we knew, Jay had
a joint venture so it's like I want a joint
venture too.
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
Rob Markman: But, you coming from a place
of actually, doing business in the league
and signing contracts and signing sneaker
deals, like armed with so much information
on how, deals are structured and just automatically
be like, "No, I'll partner with you, but you
can sign the deal by yourself."
Damian Lillard: I mean, it’s an advantage,
just because of like you said, the experience,
knowing the language, knowing how stuff work,
and having a team of people around you to
bring you in on the information.
Everything is explained to me and broken down
to me.
Like this is what this means.
And, look at this, look at that.
So, when I go meet with anybody, even if I'm
by myself, I'm going to have a, solid understanding
of-
Rob Markman: Conversation going to be different.
Damian Lillard: What makes sense.
And I'm going to have questions that, is going
to make them say, "Okay, he knows something.
We can't just pull anything over his head."
So I think that's a advantage for me just
from being in, another billion dollar business
and then coming over to this one at least
with some type of business mentality.
Rob Markman: You know, speaking of business.
I read that you just, did a deal with 2K where
you're working with them on music.
I know “Moneyball” is going to be on to
2K20.
That's some artist dream is just ... Just
let me get on this to 2K soundtrack, I don't
even need to be a Hot 97, I just want to be
on the 2K soundtrack.
Damian Lillard: Yeah I think it just made
perfect sense.
Being a 2K athlete.
Being in the NBA and also doing music, it
makes perfect sense to have, one of the songs
from my most recent album being on the video
game, especially since we just extended that
deal with them.
And I also know that they trying to incorporate
more stuff in the game that players do off
the court.
So, it fit.
Rob Markman: And Jeremih is on that record,
right?
Damian Lillard: Yup, Jeremih, Derrick Milano,
and Danny from Sobrante.
Rob Markman: Dope, super dope.
And, it sounds like the Jeremih ... because
you work throughout your career again with
a lot of dope artists, Lil Wayne, I mean,
Raphael Saadiq, who could say that, like Wayne
and Raphael Saadiq, I mean Jamie Foxx, 2 Chainz,
Jeremiah, BJ the Chicago Kid, Mozzy is on
this album.
Damian Lillard: Juvenile.
Rob Markman: Juvenile, you worked with, to
me you work with to one of the coldest, new
splitters that doesn't get his due just yet,
in my opinion, Nick Grant.
Damian Lillard: Oh Nick Grant.
Rob Markman: I think it's crazy.
How do you you navigate?
Because, you have made a comment.
And it was interesting to me that, just in
business in general, and not necessarily artist,
but, people try to overcharge you because
they see the headlines and be like, "Well,
Dame, got it."
So, and they might overcharge you for something,
how do you choose to collaborate with?
And how do you know who's really rocking with
you, for you?
Because they mess with the music versus who
thinks it's an opportunity or a money grab
or something like that?
Damian Lillard: I mean, to me is obvious.
When you just ... when everything is just
like, "Oh, let's do a record, let's do this.
I want to be a part of it."
And they actually follow through and do it.
I've had people say, "Let's work together.
Let's do a song.
Let me get on your album."
And I be like, “all right.”
And then when the time come, they just like,
"All right, I'm going to do it tomorrow."
Or, "I'm going to do it the next day."
And then it never happen.
And then, you got people like Wayne that's
like, he'll send it right back and then send
me a song that he wants me to do with his.
Damian Lillard: So stuff like that.
And is not difficult.
I think that's when you know when it's not
difficult.
Like I said, from my first album, I wrote
the song “Legacy,” I wrote the hook.
And when I wrote it, I was rapping it in Juveniles
voice.
Rob Markman: Wow.
Damian Lillard: And I sent it to him, he sent
it right back to me, like, right away.
And it was, kind of like, what he sent back
was kind of rough.
And I was like, "Can you say this part over
and say, this little more clear."
I send it back.
He sent it right back again, exactly, how
I wanted him to do it.
So when people do stuff like that, it turns
into more of a relationship, because you see,
they really mess with you on the strength.
And I ended up doing a shoe, a 400 Degreez
shoe, through Adidas, a nod to Juvi.
You know what I'm saying?
Damian Lillard: So, Stuff like that.
Like, that's how the relationships being built.
Rob Markman: He sent Juvi notes, a lot of
people would have been scared, be like, "You
know, I'm just going to keep it the way it
is."
But-
Damian Lillard: I mean, if it's my project,
like why wouldn't I say something, if ain't right.
Rob Markman: It is a testament to your musical
vision?
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
Rob Markman: And then his respect for you
because somebody ... Somebody else would have ego.
Damian Lillard: They’d be like “I ain't
doing it again.”
Rob Markman: I'm “Juvenile, you crazy?”
Damian Lillard: Exactly.
Rob Markman: That's dope.
Have you been in situations where, you just
had to completely scrap a record because you
felt like, the respect wasn't there, or it
just wasn't kind of the right situation?
Damian Lillard: No, usually, if I send somebody
something, or if it's somebody that I want
to get on it, is a song that I really like.
So, the times that I haven't been able to
get somebody for it, that I wanted on it,
I just do another verse, and keep it on there.
But, there's never like, I'm counting on them
to make this song, a song that I like, I'm
going to send them something that I think
is strong, and that they will take to the
next level.
But if they can't, then I'll just do another
verse and keep it.
Rob Markman: That's dope man.
It's funny, you said that resonates with me
outside of here.
I do music as well.
And boy, as soon as a rapper say, "Man, let's
work."
You know, what I'm saying like, it's like,
come on man...
Damian Lillard: You almost can't believe it.
Rob Markman: Right, you don't believe it.
Damian Lillard: You can't believe it until
it's like done.
Rob Markman: Yeah, I feel like it's like programmed,
like, when you don't know what else to say.
It's like, "Yo, man, let's work."
Damian Lillard: Let's do it.
It's like easy to say.
And then they be like, "Yeah, I'm going to
do it today."
Rob Markman: Right.
Damian Lillard: And the two days go by and
it's like.
Rob Markman: Nah, I get it.
And then too, we was talking about lifestyle.
“Bestie” is definitely one of those records.
And, you know, I kind of laughed at it.
Because you know, a lot ... these days in
rap we hear a lot of just rhetoric, there's
a lot of things that sound cool to say in
a rap song, is not necessarily reflective
of the lifestyle.
But when you say it I believe it, like obviously,
because we know, a song like “Bestie,”
it's like damn-
Damian Lillard: It's possible.
Rob Markman: The brother’s in a new city
every night.
Oh, you know, I'll hit you up during the summer
or something like that, or, how real is too
real?
Is there a line that you be like, "You know
what, I might, can't give them everything."
Damian Lillard: No, because is, like you said,
you believe me.
So it’s a lot of stuff that, I might see,
just in my profession, and the stuff that
I'm around, it’s a lot of stuff that I might
see or did I might hear, or that might be
breaking news.
Or that I might see in a movie or a TV show
that's like, basically, a reality of what
the environment that I basically live in.
So, based off of that, me hearing, seeing,
watching whatever, I can make a song about
it, and you'll believe me, because is a real
possibility that it could be true, whether
it's true or not.
So like at that point is just my creativity
and my imagination of what type of story I
want to make it.
Like, “Bestie” I literally made that up.
Rob Markman: Really?
Damian Lillard: I literally made that up.
Rob Markman: So, for those who ain't hear--
Damian Lillard: “You take trips and I keep
groceries in your condo,” I don't do that.
Rob Markman: You can't buy nobody groceries
or anything.
Damian Lillard: No.
I don't.
But it's like, if I say that, you will believe-
Rob Markman: I believe you.
Damian Lillard: You believe it’s possible
because that happens and I'm capable of doing
it.
Rob Markman: Plus what's groceries?
Damian Lillard: Like why not?
What's groceries.
Rob Markman: If y'all don't know, check out
the “Bestie” record, kind of like best
friends with benefits.
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
You do something for me.
I do something for you.
Rob Markman: That’s the gist of it.
But you're not filling up no refrigerators?
Damian Lillard: No.
Rob Markman: Can she a pair of the Dame's,
the Adidas joints?
Damian Lillard: You got to talk to JR about
that.
Rob Markman: Yo, it’s hard out here man.
Damian Lillard: Talk to JR.
Rob Markman: Something else I want to ask
you about it, again man.
This is rap, right?
I want to go back to the league.
You know, the stories that we hear, back in
Iverson's day, when he was rapping and he
tried to put out an album.
And the league actually stopped it and asked
him not to, it's change the a lot over the
years.
Do you ever get any pressure about what you
put in your music?
Or are you free to create?
Damian Lillard: No, I feel free to create,
I think, because the music that I put out,
it ain't just like ... I ain't out here trying
to rap like I'm some street rapper.
So, I think part of it like, I think because
of it not being that way.
And because of like who they know me as as
a person they don't like ... they not worried
about me going off the hook and just doing
something crazy.
So I think that's part of it.
And also, I think times have just changed.
Even if I was doing that they probably couldn't
really control me putting it out or not.
Because we got our own platforms now.
We got our own sites on different apps, that
we get millions of people coming through,
it’s traffic coming through every day.
So, I think times just changed.
That's what it comes down to.
Rob Markman: Do you find that your basketball
fans, that the kids out there who are buying
the Damian Lillard jerseys, are also buying
the Dame D.O.L.LA albums?
Because you said about kind of separating
the two personalities.
Or do you think it’s two separate fan bases?
Damian Lillard: I think there's like, basketball
fans of mine that are going to support my
music because they're fans of me as a basketball
player.
And some of them are going to listen and then
end up liking the music.
So I think sometimes you will have both, fans
of you as a player, will become a fan of you
as a artist.
But then I think as people who are like ... I
know people who are strictly like music, they
listen to everything that come out, they like
tough critics of it, and then that's a whole
different crowd.
So that's where I think the line is drawn,
whereas, they like sports too.
But like music, they not taking no BS, like
“that's trash or he can rap, but these songs
ain’t tight.”
So that's what I'm saying when I say it's
two different crowds.
So, that's what I'm trying to do, move into
whereas like I got my basketball fans and
they supporting.
But I'm trying to have both.
Rob Markman: Right.
And be legitimate in music.
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
Rob Markman: It got to feel crazy when ... or
just a good feeling, when somebody just comes
as a fan of a music-
Damian Lillard: That's crazy.
Rob Markman: ... and might not care what you
do on the court.
Yeah, you know I dropped 45 last night, he
was like, "Yeah, but that ‘Moneyball.’”
Damian Lillard: When I see people on the street,
they like, Dame D.O.L.L.A, or D.O.L.L.A, they
call my name out as my rap name, so that just
let me know, time and time again, people are
taking notice of the music.
Rob Markman: Okay.
We are talking about rap man.
So I got to ask you about Marvin Bagley III,
man, and what's going on there again, I just
want to catch, the people up man.
To start the summer, it was actually the day
the NBA Draft.
He was on ‘First Take’ with, Stephen A
and Max Kellerman.
And Max asked him, who the best rapper of
the NBA was.
He said himself.
Damian Lillard: As he should.
Rob Markman: Everybody should feel like they
the best rapper, right?
But then when he was asked if he would battle
Dame, is when the smoke like the smoke signal
started coming up, lot of smoke started happening.
And then the same night, dropped the diss
track.
Damian Lillard: He dropped one.
Rob Markman: Yeah, he dropped one too as you,
he dropped “No Debate.”
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
Rob Markman: What's going on, man?
Take me back to this day, man, like what's
going on through your mind?
Damian Lillard: I was already expecting it.
Rob Markman: Okay.
Damian Lillard: So like before he did that,
before he put out that first diss track.
It was one weeks before that, where he said
something and he was like, "I'm the best rapper
in the league.
And I can start with a few names.
Something, something Dame D.O.L.L.A."
So once he said my name, that kind of caught
my attention, right away.
And I always said like, I'm not about to be
battle rapping and all that stuff.
I'm just trying to make my music in peace.
Do what I enjoy doing.
And that's it.
I'm not really ... I say I'm the best rapper
in the league, because that's what I think.
But I'm not going to be trying to defend the
title against other players because I'm trying
to be in the pool with the rest of the artists.
So-
Rob Markman: You’re on tracks with Wayne.
Damian Lillard: So when I heard him say my
name The first time, I wrote a diss track
right then.
Rob Markman: So you had it on tuck?
Damian Lillard: Yes.
I wrote it right away.
Rob Markman: I think that's what confused
me, because it was like, “damn, it happened
so quick.”
Damian Lillard: So fast.
It was like, he shot, I shot right back.
Rob Markman: Right.
Damian Lillard: But like, I had already written
it.
And I was in Phoenix training.
And I had a studio set up in my Airbnb.
So as soon as, I got the tweet, and I see,
like he was saying all that stuff.
I felt like it was a play.
Like he went on there to kind of set it up
to draw some attention to his music.
And as soon as he came off the show, the record
was up.
Like he dropped the diss.
Rob Markman: It looked like that.
I'm not going to lie.
It was definitely like listening, and questioning.
I remember clicking the record, then you drop
yours.
And it's like, “Yo, this is dope, because
that's that hip hop energy.”
Right.
That's, why we love Jay-Z and NAS.
That's why we love Drake and Meek Mill, you
kind of tuning in, but I was like, “Damn,
is this being marketed to us or is this a
real thing?”
Damian Lillard: No, that was a real thing,
we don't know each other, like that.
So, when he did it, I was just like, when
you said my name, I was like, I ain't go just
drop no diss on him, because he ain’t really
say nothing.
And then, the second time, like I already
was prepared.
So I put the first one out, and it just went
viral.
It was like during the draft.
And, I felt like everybody was on my side,
like I was, mine's blew his away.
Rob Markman: Yeah.
General consensus.
Yep.
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
So then like, I'm sitting there, and I'm like,
monitoring all my tweets and everybody like,
"Oh, he killed him.
He killed him."
And I forgot where I was about to go.
I was about to leave the Airbnb probably about
to go to dinner or something.
And we getting ready.
And I just told engineer, I was like, “wait,
I'm about to do a back to back to the Drake
back to back and just post this before we
leave.”
I literally wrote it and recorded it right
before we left.
And the engineer.
He mixed it himself right there.
And then he just pressed send, posted it and
we was in a car on the way to go eat, and
I was just like, and at that point to me it
was over because like, I sent two before he
responded, and then I like woke up the next
morning.
And there was like another track and I was
like “Man, I'm I'm done with it.”
Rob Markman: I'm done.
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
Rob Markman: On the Marvin track.
I got ask you, you have the Duppy beat, the
Duppy freestyle, which Drake used to go at
Pusha T, did Drake sent you that beat, how
did you get the beat?
Damian Lillard: No, I found It on YouTube.
Rob Markman: Because I was like, that's the
cheat code, I said, "Damn, you got to play
it fair."
Damian Lillard: I just liked the beat, so
I chose that.
And then the back to back just fit.
So I was like, "Well, I’ll just use two
Drake beats.”
Rob Markman: Hard.
Let me ask you a question now.
Was that something that, you were maybe personally
kind of like, annoyed at?
Did you take it personally?
Or was it like, "Oh, this the sport like this
is go time."
Damian Lillard: No, I didn't take it personal.
I was just like, this ain't ... I didn't really
want to do it.
I didn't really want to battle, period.
But I'm like, he can’t ... if it's the first
time because I never wanted to, like get into
one of these situations.
So I was like, I don't really want to do it.
But like the first time, I got to engage,
I can't just let him come after me and don't
say nothing.
Because that's basically a loss.
Rob Markman: Sets a precedent.
Damian Lillard: The first time.
So I'm like, "All right, I'm going to do it,
whatever."
So I did it.
But I'm like, I'm not about to make no habit
out of going back and forth with dudes.
But I had to handle it the first time just
to let people know I'll do it.
Rob Markman: 50 had this quote.
I love this quote.
He said, "You know, sometimes, when you is
a kid, used to touch the stove and get burned,
sometimes you got to let them get burned,
one time, so you learn not to touch the stove."
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
Rob Markman: It was entertaing though, I ain't
go lie, I don't know how you felt about it,
but we was entertained as fuck.
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
But that's why it was cool because it's never
been done.
You've seen, rappers in the industry go back
and forth at each other but, two athletes
never did it.
And that was also part of why I did it, because
I was like, "We can be the first ones to do
it."
Rob Markman: I'm not going to be, because
you here in front of me.
I think he can rap, I was surprised at his
skillset and he was somebody that I was watching too.
So it was entertaining in that way that it
was like oh, it's like two dudes who can rap.
Damian Lillard: Yup, he can rap.
Rob Markman: Going at each other.
October 25th now, the schedule, y'all play
the Sacramento Kings, does this spill over
to the court, or once tip off happens, that
don't even matter?
Damian Lillard: I'm not about to be thinking
about that.
Rob Markman: Yeah.
Damian Lillard: That's the last thing on my
mind.
Rob Markman: Would you collaborate with anybody
else, because there's talent in the league.
Again, I think it's like ... and it's just
me personally speaking, I think Shump is nice.
I'm a big Knicks fan.
Damian Lillard: Me and Shump, was supposed
to do something, a long time ago.
Rob Markman: Okay.
Damian Lillard: Just never happened.
Rob Markman: It just never happened.
I can see it coming to a point where there's
a couple of guys in the league who are kind
of dope with what they're doing, where it
doesn't come off corny.
As well, I think Marcus Smart, he got like
a different style to him, but I've seen the
record he put out, after he signed his contract
I thought that was dope.
I don't know, the verdict is still out on
Lonzo Ball for me, I think I'm good on that
one, on the rap thing.
Terrific talent.
I'm not going to put you in the hot seat.
He's great on the court.
I don't know about these records though.
Damian Lillard: I mean a couple of the ones
I heard, was cool.
It just sound like he raps like similar to
what, the newer generation of rappers rap
like, like what he's a fan of.
Rob Markman: And he's younger.
Damian Lillard: Yeah.
Rob Markman: I get it.
Nah, I won't close the door on any of that.
Any closing thoughts for you man with this
album man, ‘Big D.O.L.L.A’?
Damian Lillard: No, I just want to like this
... with this album, was like a official decision
of like, I'm committed to really crossing
over and to being like real artist.
It ain't just, throwing music out there and
all that stuff.
This is like a real thing for me, at this
point.
It’s my third album.
I'm coming way over here to do stuff like
this, just to let people know is like, it's
a real thing.
And it's serious.
So, check out the album, ‘Big D.O.L.L.A,’
available on all platforms.
And it's definitely going to be more music
coming, for sure.
Rob Markman: Dope, super dope.
Before I take you out of here man.
I ask every guest to do this at the end of
every episode because I think we're all fans
of this culture.
Rob Markman: If you could spit a verse, your
favorite verse, not that you wrote but for
somebody else.
What would it be?
Damian Lillard: It would be, I think it was
the second verse on One Mic.
Was it the second verse on One Mic?
“All I need is one blunt, one page and one
pen.”
That joint hard.
Rob Markman: You know it?
Got a couple of bars off the cuff?
Damian Lillard: Yeah I know it.
Rob Markman: Let's see how you do it.
Damian Lillard: “All I need is one blunt, one page and
one pen, one prayer, tell God forgive me for
one sin.
Matter of fact, maybe more than one.
Look back, at all the hatred against me, fuck
all of them.
Jesus died at age 33, that’s 33 shots between
glocks, that's 16 a piece, that's 32, which
means, one of my guns was holding 17 27 hit
your crew.
Six went into you.
Everybody got to die sometime.
Hope your funeral never, get shot up bullets
tear through the innocent nothing is fear.
Niggas roll up shooting from wheelchairs.
My heart is racing, tasting revenge in the
air.
I let this shit slide for too many years.
Too many times now I'm strapped with a couple
of MACs, too many 9s, if y'all niggas really
with me, get busy load up the semis, do more
than just hold it, explode the clip until
you empty.
There's nothing in our way, they bust, we
bust, they rush, we rush, lead flying, feel
it.
I feel it in my guts, that we take these bitches
to war, lie them down, because we stronger
now my nigga, the time is now.”
Rob Markman: “All I need is one mic.”
First of all, that was way more than a 16,
that's a hard-ass verse.
That's super dope.
Well, but I appreciate you man.
I appreciate you coming to genius, I appreciate
you coming to ‘For The Record.’
And, I'm rooting for you.
I like the tenacity and what you go-
Damian Lillard: For sure.
Rob Markman: ... with this music and fighting
for what you believe in man.
It's important, and I think it's going to
do well for you.
I think what it's really going to do is inspire
others, not to let themselves get put in the
box man.
Damian Lillard: For sure.
Rob Markman: All right.
But you're welcome anytime, brother.
Damian Lillard: For sure.
Rob Markman: And thank y'all for watching
week after week, man.
Talk to us in the comments.
Let us know your favorite track from Dame
D.O.L.LA.
You know, I'm in them comments I talk back
with you, until next week, this is ‘For
The Record.’
Peace.
