In the wake of dropping off their excellent joint effort Beloved, Dave East and Styles P have hit The Breakfast Club for a conversation.
It's safe to say that the recording process surely left Dave East a tad starry-eyed, who reiterates that Styles P has always been his favorite rapper. "I feel like I put it in the universe mad long ago, but it just came to be," says East. "I feel like beyond the music me and him caught a vibe. In real life, he felt like the big bro I ain't really have. Especially coming into the industry, a lot of the questions I was going through, I could call him, beyond just songs." East also takes a moment to compliment Pinero's nutrition game, claiming he's keeping a better eye on what he eats now that Styles is in his inner circle.
DJ Envy proceeds to dub the album as a "top three contender," prompting some humility from Styles. "I want to say thank you, cause it's been a great year for hip-hop. To even be in that convo is really dope." Envy keeps the praise coming, claiming that East feels like one of "The Lox." Knowing how much Dave East clearly idolized the legendary trifecta, the entire exchange is endearing to say the least.
"Right when we got in the stu, it was just the vibe," says Dave. "We locked in." Styles jumps in, saying "we was being competitive. It was sparring. I looked at it like I was the veteran with experience, and he was the young boy, the future of New York. It was like he had something to prove to my crowd, and I had something to prove to his crowd. You don't wanna be the veteran emcee whose rhyming with the young one, and it's like, you lost a step."
"Did you show any mercy, Styles?" asks Charlamagne. "Hell no!" laughs P, proving that his respect for East is absolutely genuine, both as an artist and a man. Honestly, the entire interview is worth a watch, especially if you appreciate the minds behind Beloved. I can only concur with East when it comes to Gangster And A Gentleman, and it's always nice to hear that album get a little bit of love now and again. Salute to Styles and Dave East - you made something to be proud of.