About this episodeRico Too Smooth discusses his upbringing in a drug-infested environment in Sacramento, his time in juvenile ha…AI summary
Rico Too Smooth discusses his upbringing in a drug-infested environment in Sacramento, his time in juvenile hall and youth authority, and how these experiences shaped his musical career. He emphasizes the importance of strategic thinking over impulsivity, navigating cultural identity as a Black-Mexican artist, and building independent platforms to break out of regional barriers.
Key takeaways 6
Rico Too Smooth grew up homeless and bounced between shelters due to his mother's drug addiction, which normalized street life for him from a young age.
He spent significant time in juvenile hall and the California Youth Authority (CYA) from age 14 to 21, describing it as a 'school-to-prison pipeline' where the environment was similar to school but more confined.
Rico identifies as Black and Mexican, noting that Northern California is a 'melting pot' where racial lines are less rigid than in other areas, allowing him to connect with diverse groups.
He believes the music industry often encourages artists to 'crash out' or act impulsively for clout, but he advocates for strategic, long-term career moves and maintaining a respectful public image.
Rico sees the current rise of Hispanic artists in hip-hop as a positive trend and aims to collaborate across regional lines (e.g., Texas, Southern California) rather than engaging in unproductive beefs.
He started his music career by recording freestyles on BandLab after release from CYA, gaining traction through social media engagement before securing distribution deals.
Notable quotes 5AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.
“Growing up in it it's normal... you kind of look at everybody and you see that evident and the Tweakers that are on the corner... like it's normal to you”
▶ 5:24Rico explains how his environment normalized drug use and street life during his childhood.
“The whole mission of this [ __ ] is to be a crash out... to have somebody that crash that's why you see a lot of these artists that act like crashes get all the attention”
▶ 53:34Rico critiques the industry's tendency to promote impulsive behavior and 'crashing out' for viral clout.
“Negative and negative don't make a positive... I feel like [ __ ] should just really showcase their talent”
▶ 1:06:48Rico advises artists to focus on their craft rather than engaging in unproductive conflicts or negativity.
“You got to think strategically... implying out your moves... if you're not a thinker then you're going to be a crash”
▶ 1:39:06Rico emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and planning over impulsive actions, drawing from his experiences in the justice system.
“I'm going to go down to work... I want to see what's up what artists out there that are popping who I would sound good with who's with it to work with me”
▶ 1:21:26Rico outlines his strategy for expanding his career by collaborating with artists in other regions like Texas instead of engaging in regional beefs.
Chapters & Sections (77)▼
0:00Interview with Up North Rapper Rico Too Smoothchapter3
0:00Interview with Up North Rapper Rico Too Smooth
1:58Childhood Struggles and Street Reputation
3:18Baseball and Personal Life Experiences
5:00Growing Up in a Drug-Infested Environmentchapter2
5:00Growing Up in a Drug-Infested Environment
6:51Overcoming Addiction and Family Struggles
9:16Navigating Cultural Identity in Music Industrychapter3
9:16Racial Identity and Cultural Judgment
11:14Diversity in Northern California Culture
12:25Overcoming Adversity and Negative Influences
14:32Navigating Street Life and Mentorshipchapter2
14:32Struggling with Street Life and Mentorship
17:20Life Lessons from Juvenile Hall Experience
18:56School to Prison Pipeline Experienceschapter4
18:56School to Prison Pipeline Experiences
20:38Juvenile Justice System Failure
21:59Transition from Juvenile Detention to Adulthood
23:22Reflecting on Past Life Choices and Regret
25:30Navigating Masculinity and Personal Growthchapter3
25:30Navigating Masculinity and Personal Growth
27:10Importance of Exercise in Mental State
28:58Early Life and Music Career Development
31:10Artist's Early Career and Creative Motivationschapter2
31:10Rapper's Early Career and Artistic Motivations
33:18Finding Balance and Success in Music Career
35:41Artist Discusses Music and Social Commentarychapter2
35:41Artist Discusses Social Commentary in Music
37:16Authenticity in Music and Social Activism
39:57Artist's Career Progress and Industry Challengeschapter4
39:57Artist's Career Progress and Industry Perception
41:33Artist Career Advancement Strategies
43:46Building Independent Platforms for Artists
45:54Navigating Politics in Business Decisions
47:45Rapper Discusses Collaborations and Industry Politicschapter3
47:45Rapper Discusses Business Plan and Competition
49:06Hip-Hop Feud Discussion in Modern Media
50:18Gang Life and Personal Business Ethics
51:53Gangster Rap Industry Manipulation and Controlchapter4
51:53Industry Manipulation of Gangster Rap Artists
53:47Social Media Hype and Disposable Celebrities
54:59The Importance of Authenticity in Music
56:20Rap Music and Storytelling in the Hood
58:01Cultural Exchange and Identity in Southern Californiachapter3
58:01Cultural Differences in Southern California
59:38Evolution of Cultural Identity in Neighborhoods
1:01:26Regional Identity and Rap Music Evolution
1:03:00Embracing Bicultural Identity and Authenticitychapter3
1:03:00Embracing Multiculturalism and Racial Identity
1:04:31Artist's Identity and Authenticity in Music
1:05:51Critique of Rapper's Approach to Politics
1:07:17Social Media's Impact on Neighborhood Beefschapter3
1:07:17Social Media and Neighborhood Beefs
1:08:40Discussion on Career and Music Style
1:10:20Rapper Disses Person in Song
1:12:37Discussion about Music Industry and Competitionchapter3
1:12:37Discussion about Music Industry and Competition
1:14:31Discussion on Party Lifestyle and Sobriety
1:16:13Grieving Brother Discusses Brother's Overdose Death
1:18:49Career Goals and Networking Strategieschapter2
1:18:49Career Goals and Networking Strategies
1:20:45Hip-Hop Competition and Regional Identity
1:23:02Overcoming Personal Barriers to Successchapter2
1:23:02Overcoming Barriers to Success in the Music Industry
1:25:25Artist's Career Strategy and Business Decisions
1:27:16Discussion on Artistic Moves and Fanbasechapter4
1:27:16Discussion on Music and Fanbase Dynamics
1:28:54Origin of Nickname Rico
1:30:13Rico's Past and a Fight in Jail
1:31:40Street Fights and UFC Rules Discussion
1:34:16Gang Program and Consequences of Fightingchapter6
1:34:16Gang Program and Lockup Consequences
1:35:37Disrespect towards authority figures
1:36:51Respect and Communication in Gang Culture
1:38:39Strategic Thinking in Gang Culture
1:40:53Impulsivity and Decision Making in Young Adults
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