Episode 534 | Maliibu Miitch

New Rory & MAL - iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

In this episode of 'New Rory & MAL,' hosts Rory and Malibu Mitch discuss the release of her long-awaited debut album, reflecting on her jour

Key takeaways

• Artists often face a tension between focusing solely on creativity and managing business aspects of their careers.

Main topics

• Debut album release
• Creative independence in music

Notable quotes

"I've been dying to just put out a body of work. So people could stop with the, Oh, she's not consistent."

Conclusion

Malibu Mitch reflects on her journey toward artistic freedom and full creative

Transcript preview

Speaker 5 (0:00) This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human. On the new podcast, Solita, we share the messy reality of traveling alone as a woman. I can wait four hours for the next bus or this random dude is offering me a ride on his motorcycle. I chose option B. I'm Julie Pinheiro and I travel by myself because it's a rare space where I can say yes without asking anyone else first. I'm on a mission to reclaim the word Solita, trading the pity for possibility. Listen to Solita on the iHeartRadio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Speaker 4 (0:40) Hoda Kotb, host of the podcast Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb. You know, I'm always searching for inspiration and useful tools to maximize joy. Like when my friend Henry Winkler offered advice to aspiring actors and really anybody hoping to stand out. Speaker 8 (0:56) You're not hired just to fill time and space. You're hired to fill the space with you. Listen Speaker 4 (1:03) to Joy 101 with Hoda Kotb on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 1 (1:11) Our hometown is not a test tube. Speaker 5 (1:13) 90 miles northeast of Nashville, a battle for the future of America plays out in one small town. Speaker 6 (1:19) Developers with right-wing ties have purchased hundreds of acres of land. We need cities on a shining hill. Speaker 5 (1:25) This is Our Speaker 6 (1:26) Town, Speaker 5 (1:27) a podcast about what happens when a small town becomes the site of a social experiment and fights back. Guess you didn't move in on a bunch of dumb hillbillies now, did you? Listen to Our Town on the iHeartRadio app. Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 6 (1:48) Hey, this is Hayes Davenport. And Sean Clements. We host the podcast Hollywood Handbook. Each week, we talk to someone in show business and try to help them with their careers and see what they have to offer us. Everyone has a good time and no one gets mad at their publicist for letting them do our show. We've had a lot of great guests like Sarah Sherman, Adam Scott, Danny McBride, Ben Stiller, and a lot of other big shots that wouldn't be where they are without us. Listen to Hollywood Handbook on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Speaker 7 (2:54) I need to see the video for that. Speaker 2 (2:56) It's like fight night. So me and my best friend were like rolling around in like a little pool of water slamming each other. And we really actually genuinely were fighting in the music video. So it was really fire. Speaker 7 (3:09) Wait, what do you mean y'all had beef? Like y'all was like group chat? That's my Speaker 2 (3:11) best friend. But that's been my best friend for like 20 years. So we were literally slamming each other in the water. And it was like a blow up pool. Like a little floaty, a big floaty. Speaker 7 (3:20) May I ask what y'all was wearing when y'all was fighting? Speaker 2 (3:22) Vating suits. Speaker 1 (3:23) Yeah, I got that. There Speaker 3 (3:24) is Speaker 1 (3:24) water, Maul, naturally. Speaker 2 (3:25) Baiting suits and little shorts. Yes. Speaker 1 (3:29) Let's get that video to number one on the countdown. Remember that, the countdown? Speaker 2 (3:35) I Speaker 1 (3:35) do, Maul. Speaker 2 (3:36) I miss countdowns. I know. Speaker 1 (3:38) They need to bring back something. We need that. We need some video countdown, right? Yeah, like something Speaker 7 (3:42) just... I don't even see videos no more, like, unless... You know, like, if you listen to a song on iTunes, obviously they have the videos there, but... Somebody would have to say, yo, did you see the... The Speaker 2 (3:52) music video. And I'm like, I didn't even know it was out. And then I go watch it. Speaker 7 (3:55) But before, you know, that's how you found music. That's how you found what was dope. Speaker 2 (4:00) And it's messed up because as an artist, I still don't look at music videos. So it's kind of crazy. But I want people to watch mine still. Speaker 7 (4:05) Right. Yeah. It's Speaker 2 (4:06) messed up. Speaker 7 (4:06) As an artist, that's interesting as an artist you don't watch videos. Is that purposely? You know what it is? Speaker 2 (4:11) It's the videos and the music. I don't listen to a lot of new music because I don't kind of want it to... Because Speaker 7 (4:17) it's trash. Speaker 2 (4:17) It's... Speaker 7 (4:19) You can say it. We got the data to prove Speaker 1 (4:21) it. She wouldn't know. She Speaker 7 (4:21) doesn't listen to it. We got the data to prove that music is struggling. Look, Speaker 2 (4:24) a little something, something. I hear it like if it's a viral sound or something like that when I'm on Instagram. But I'm just speaking of like, I don't go and listen to other artists because I don't want my stuff to sound like them. Sometimes you could like being an artist, like you'll hear something and be like, oh, I want to create something Speaker 3 (4:38) like that. Speaker 2 (4:38) Subconsciously, you'll hear it. Yeah, I don't want to do that. Like, you know, so yeah. Speaker 3 (4:42) Have you ever felt like someone did that with your music? Speaker 2 (4:44) Oh, yeah. I felt like that. Have Speaker 3 (4:46) you been vocal about it or? Speaker 2 (4:47) No, I don't care that much. I don't really care that much. Why? To be vocal about it. Because I know like, I know people do that. And I know a lot of people have writers and stuff like that too. So it's like they get added help from writers. So of course they're going to get help from like looking up other artists and listening to other artists. So it's kind of like, like when I was younger, I used to get mad at stuff like that. But now I just don't really care anymore. Speaker 3 (5:12) Yeah. I don't know. I'm still kind of on the side of like. that's not a form of flattering to me. No, Speaker 2 (5:17) definitely. I mean, Speaker 3 (5:18) I get the term of course, but nah. Speaker 2 (5:23) Definitely. But I feel like, um, cause I think Rihanna has said it in like an interview or something. Like when somebody copies you, like when you're a trendsetter, you're supposed to set trends. So you can't be mad at people for like following your trend when you're like setting it, you know? And that's the whole point. You want kind of people to want to be like you in some sort of way and stuff. So that's how I don't get too mad about it. But when I was younger, what? Probably would have, like, you know, like, crashed out a few times on Instagram. But luckily, like, I didn't think, but, Speaker 7 (5:51) God. Well, we are back sponsored by Boost Mobile, unlimited talk, text, and data. And if you haven't noticed, I am Maul. I'm Rory. And today we are joined by, this is family, this is a friend of the show. Yes. Somebody who we're very happy to have here. Finally, her album is coming. Speaker 2 (6:08) Finally. Because, Speaker 7 (6:09) Rory, we've been championing this young lady for years. Yes. Had the chance to hear her music early, early on. Been a fan the first time I heard her. Still a fan today. Pre-COVID I've been in the studio. Pre-COVID. I think Burt was... Yeah, this is pre-COVID. Pre the world changing. Yes. Today we are joined by the Bronx's very own Malibu Mitch is in the building. Hi. Speaker 2 (6:33) Gotta Speaker 7 (6:34) put the big Bronx on that. You know, heavy Speaker 2 (6:36) on the big Bronx. Big Speaker 7 (6:38) Bronx, man. So the album is wrapping up. Speaker 2 (6:41) Yes. Speaker 7 (6:42) Some tweaks handed. We're getting Speaker 2 (6:43) it mixed out right now. Yes. Speaker 7 (6:45) Listen, I've been waiting for this because I want, I need music. Listen, you from the Bronx. So I feel like I can judge you. I feel like I can talk shit and it's called love. You know that? Exactly. But I am happy to hear a full body of work from yours though, because I've heard obviously singles. Speaker 7 (7:00) songs, some songs you was working on, but to have now a full body, Speaker 2 (7:04) I'm Speaker 7 (7:05) happy to finally have it. Speaker 2 (7:06) No, thank you. Me too. Like, honestly, like I want, I want people to hear me already. Like, you know, cause like I've been dropping singles, even when I was locked in the contract, they were like, let me drop like one or two little joints, but it's still like, I have been dying to just put out a body of work. So I could tour and stuff, of course, but so people could stop with the, Oh, she's not consistent. And it hasn't been really much of that, you know? So, yeah, I'm excited. How much has Speaker 7 (7:31) the industry on the business side jaded you? Speaker 2 (7:35) Um... A lot of times. And I just feel like sometimes when you're focused on like just being an artist, just putting out just I was a studio rat for a long time that I never really focused on the business. And that part kind of like always had me messed up. And then it was even people that I had would have on my team. They'll be like, you're too much in the business. You need to just focus on the artistry. I heard that too many times in my earlier career that sometimes. It made me feel like, all right, damn, like, let me, let me just focus on this. So for when I was younger, I did. But now after being locked in so many different contracts and stuff, I'm kind of just like over it. And now I'm too much on my business. And being with Monarch, my new label, they are fine with that. You know, they're fine with me like learning and asking questions. I'm always asking a question, you know, so it's really, really cool. But yeah, it jaded me a lot. Speaker 3 (8:26) Yeah, I think. When you came on the show at the BET Awards, you were just getting out of a situation, I think, at that point. Yeah, it Speaker 2 (8:32) was like, I was, I didn't sign yet, but they were, it was already in talks and everything like that too. Okay. Speaker 3 (8:38) So what's the sense of freedom with that? Are you on your own timeline now? Speaker 2 (8:43) Yes. Yes. And. It's good because, again, like I like to be involved. I like to be too involved. So it's good. I'm in my budget. I'm the one clearing stuff in my budget. So it's really, really good. I got to get a little better with budget management. Oh, that's all Speaker 1 (8:58) women, though. Yes. That's like a lifelong journey for women. All right. Yes. Yes. Don't give yourself too much. I need this and I need this. Yeah, you're just a woman. I Speaker 2 (9:06) need firecrackers shooting up to the sky. Right, right. Exactly, all of it. But yeah. But yeah, it's really, really good. I'm really, really happy around this time. Speaker 3 (9:15) What do you think the dumbest thing you spent your recording budget on? Speaker 2 (9:20) Dumbest, dumbest, dumbest. Because I don't Speaker 3 (9:21) think firecrackers are dumb. I think that helps with the experience. Speaker 2 (9:24) Let me see. Like with this, with this? Just in general, Speaker 3 (9:28) in general. Speaker 2 (9:29) Okay, this was not my fault. Right. But I didn't realize until after somebody paid someone 20 grand for a music video one time. And I thought that was ridiculous. I thought that was insane. Like ridiculous. When I could have called like a homie that knew a homie to bring cars and other things. So like I like to be like some. I'll bring in a lot of stuff myself so I don't Speaker 7 (9:50) have Speaker 2 (9:50) to Speaker 7 (9:50) use Speaker 2 (9:50) your resources. Yes, I use my own resources. Yes. But that time, I really wish if I would have known that because that was just like insane to me. And it was like two music videos. It was like 20 grand. And I thought that was insane. Speaker 7 (10:03) Yeah, I could see that. I could see you looking back and being like, especially once the video is done. Like, yeah, I don't think that was worth it. Speaker 2 (10:08) Yeah, because nowadays people are just walking around with the camera filming the stuff and then boom, now they got millions of views on just a video that they just was walking around Times Square or something. So I just think that certain things is just kind of like ridiculous, you know? Speaker 3 (10:20) So, Speaker 2 (10:20) yeah. Speaker 3 (10:20) I mean, I think the water fight will probably do more numbers than any of the cars. I know what a Lamborghini looks like. I've never seen you wrestle your friend. Speaker 2 (10:32) I just feel Speaker 3 (10:32) like the views may go a little bit higher. Speaker 2 (10:34) Yeah. That video is so fun. So fun. Yes. Speaker 3 (10:38) What else did you want to get across in this album? Because you haven't really had the moment to put out. what would be a full Speaker 1 (10:44) studio project. What Speaker 7 (10:45) are you saying Speaker 1 (10:45) on Speaker 7 (10:46) this album? What is Speaker 3 (10:46) Malibu talking Speaker 7 (10:47) about? Speaker 2 (10:48) So I did a, it's a bunch of different vibes that I have on there, but I was venting on a couple. I got an intro and an outro that I was just kind of like venting about what happened. Cause I've never really like talked about me being locked in a contract. So a lot of people don't know that. So in the intro and outro, that's basically what. Like I talked about, because I wanted people to know from Jump, the first song that you hear, which is the intro, it's like it explains all of that. And then throughout the rest, I have some New York vibes on there. And then I have some like little Ratchelina songs that you could. Speaker 1 (11:17) Ratchelina. Ratchelina Speaker 2 (11:18) songs that you could be outside with your homegirls. I like Ratchelina. Yes. It's kind of like classy, but still ratchet. Yeah. Ratchelina. Ratchelina. Yes. I like the Ratchelina. I Speaker 1 (11:27) love Ratchelina. Sometimes I go back to Fordham just looking for a Speaker 2 (11:31) Ratchalina. Yeah, I need a Ratchalina coming out the kitchen. When was Speaker 1 (11:36) your last Ratchalina? Oh, it's been a while. Such a liar. A Ratchalina? I haven't had a Ratchalina in a long time. I picture you Speaker 2 (11:44) having a few. Now? Speaker 7 (11:46) No, I can't. Not no more, Malibu. I can't do that no more. Speaker 2 (11:50) 10 Speaker 7 (11:51) years ago, maybe, but now, nah, I can't do the ratcheting. It's like, I can hang out with the ratcheting, Speaker 2 (11:55) but Speaker 7 (11:56) then you're going to look up and I'm not going to be there. I'm going to be home in the shower, in bed. Like, Speaker 2 (12:00) yeah, Speaker 7 (12:01) I got to dip in and dip out. I can't do Speaker 1 (12:02) too much with the ratcheting. Speaker 2 (12:03) Yeah. Speaker 1 (12:04) I feel like you've had one post COVID. Post-COVID? Yeah, yeah, yeah. All right, so not 10 years. Well, the Rattalinas during COVID, those were the frontline workers. Ah, Speaker 2 (12:11) the frontline workers. They would not stand up on my thigh. Yeah, those were the first responders. I've seen the nurses Speaker 3 (12:17) without Speaker 1 (12:17) their scrubs on. Speaker 3 (12:18) Yes, absolutely. Putting your IV into your arm right now Speaker 1 (12:22) and you have no idea what her life was like. You Speaker 3 (12:24) know how many Speaker 1 (12:24) girls wanted to do my brows during COVID? Oh, my God. They Speaker 2 (12:27) started doing brows. Speaker 7 (12:28) They started doing lashes. No, everybody. Speaker 2 (12:30) I have a few homegirls that started doing lashes. Yeah, they was hearing me like, yo, pull up, Speaker 7 (12:34) come to the crib. Speaker 1 (12:35) I'm like. to the crib. Girl. Nah, not to do my little thread thing. Yeah, nah, Speaker 7 (12:40) not to the crib though. We can wait till COVID is Speaker 3 (12:41) over. Oh Speaker 2 (12:42) my God. Speaker 3 (12:44) In the intro, how personal are you really getting with the situation? Are you actually calling out certain people? I don't say Speaker 2 (12:49) names and stuff like that. I just basically say how they have me messed up. Your energy Speaker 3 (12:54) is different. Speaker 7 (12:55) You Speaker 2 (12:55) think so? Speaker 7 (12:56) Yes. It's calmer. Yeah. Like this ain't the Mitch. Like this is, I love it though. No, no, don't. But I sense the maturity. I sense the growth. I sense the calmness, Speaker 6 (13:08) peace Speaker 7 (13:09) with everything that happened. Yeah. Speaker 2 (13:11) And Speaker 7 (13:12) just ready to work and move forward and receive everything that's coming to you. Speaker 2 (13:15) Like, you know, when you get older, you start realizing a lot. Yeah. I feel like for a long time I was placing the blame on everybody else except for myself. Because if I went through being locked in a contract with Rough Riders, if I did that with so many other people, it's like, like even with the production company, like I should have stopped myself. I should have just known better. Like, you get what I'm saying? I should have never used a lawyer that they gave me. Diabolical when you think of stuff like that. But you didn't know. Yeah. Now if you Speaker 3 (13:41) did that, I'd look at you like you're crazy, but you didn't know at the time. Speaker 2 (13:45) Yeah, but I could have like when people were saying like, Ask questions. And some people, I will get some people ask questions. Some people don't ask the questions, but like, I should have been asking a lot of those questions. And I was putting a lot of the blame on everyone else. Like, you know, like that in myself. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So I think once I realized all of that, once I started even like, because like, I felt like. Around the time when I dropped, like, then out of New York, everybody came with the deep voices and everybody started, like, remixing. Young Berk, I swear, like, he was, like, probably, like, one of the best things that happened to my career because, like, he understood, like, the music aspect of me and what I wanted to, like, give off and what I wanted to sound like. But at the same time, it was around that time when he was like, you know what? All right, I'm going to give these vibes to everybody. Like, you know, so it kind of, like, I was. Not mad about it, but it kind of bothered me because I had my sound going with our project that we never were able to release. And now everybody is remixing all these. old songs when nobody was even thinking about remixing like old songs, you know, because I was like, what, eight, nine years ago, I was doing that, you know? So like, I think once I started getting over all of that and just like seeing it all the time, I think I kind of like, it put me at ease, I guess. Yeah. Speaker 3 (15:00) I mean, that, that did become Berg's sound. Yeah. Literally. Yeah. Speaker 2 (15:04) Which is of course fire. Like, you know, like, like I fuck with him all day. So it's like, are y Speaker 7 (15:10) 'all in a good space today? Yeah. Speaker 2 (15:12) We've always been in a good place. never like had no you know like i understood what it was like even with the just work like just the work i can't say his work ethic is crazy and mine is too and again when you find somebody that genuinely like gets you like in the studio like it's like very hard to find that and then when you find somebody it's like you know so i'm i'm locked in with him for life like he gets it that's Speaker 3 (15:35) our guy um does he have any hand in this this project or uh Speaker 2 (15:39) no this is all me okay This whole project was just me. I just wanted to give people something that actually genuinely came from me. But on my album, because this is just a project that's just giving out to people, but on the actual album, yeah. I want to relive all the songs that we had did a couple of years ago. It's amazing. Who are Speaker 7 (15:58) some of the producers you worked with on this project? Speaker 2 (16:02) I worked with... Rocco and Everby, they're out of Ukraine. So a lot of the stuff they produce, they're fire producers. I like working with people that are not really known to everybody. Especially if they're Speaker 7 (16:15) from another country because I've noticed that a lot of guys, when I hear some of their music. And I'm like, yo, who did this? And they'll name somebody that's from like overseas. It's interesting because their ear and their sound and the sounds that they use with hip hop is totally different. Speaker 2 (16:31) It is. It's different only because in the sense of like, they like that old school music. So like they are listening right now to like Wu-Tang and all of those types of vibes. And when they think of like music from America, they're looking at stuff like that. Like they're looking at R &B songs like Monica and like all of our like our kind, our kind. iconic artists. You get what I'm saying? So that's why I use them because they, their range is like insane, but it's very old school, you know? Like, so. You find Speaker 3 (17:00) them on YouTube? Speaker 2 (17:01) They found me on Instagram. Okay. Speaker 3 (17:03) And I work with Speaker 2 (17:04) SK and yeah, my boy SK. So shout out to SK and shout out to Wolf. And yeah, I worked with a few people on this project. Speaker 7 (17:13) Are you doing any singing? Speaker 2 (17:15) Thank Speaker 7 (17:15) you. Speaker 2 (17:15) Shout out to Q. Am I doing singing? Jalen, did I get a singing song on there? Speaker 2 (17:23) Singing Speaker 1 (17:23) -ish? I Speaker 2 (17:24) think. Little Speaker 1 (17:25) melodies here and there? Speaker 2 (17:26) Little something-something. Yeah, Berg actually was the one that got me into doing all of that. You should. Yeah, at first I was like, ew, no, me saying what? You're bugging. But you'll be in the Speaker 7 (17:35) house singing. In the shower. If Speaker 2 (17:37) you know Speaker 7 (17:37) R &B, come on, you definitely gonna sing. In the shower only. Speaker 2 (17:40) And nobody can hear me in the shower. It'll just be me. Yeah, it's the acoustic. Speaker 7 (17:44) But you should play with some melodies, though. Speaker 2 (17:46) No, but I am, I am, I am. I'm getting into doing that. Yeah. Speaker 2 (17:51) Oh, Elevators. Actually, yeah, there's a song on my project that I, this thing, a little something, something. Speaker 7 (17:56) See, look. Yeah, I forgot all Speaker 2 (17:57) about it. Now Speaker 7 (17:58) that's the first song I'm going to play. Speaker 2 (17:59) Yes. Soon Speaker 7 (18:00) as the album drop, soon as the project drop, that's the first song I'm going Speaker 2 (18:02) to play. Listen to the intro, then. Then go Speaker 7 (18:05) to Elevators? I bet I got you. Intro. And I want your Speaker 2 (18:07) honest opinion. Dog me out. You know I'm Speaker 7 (18:09) going Speaker 2 (18:09) to Speaker 7 (18:09) be honest with you. Be Speaker 2 (18:10) like, we waited for this shit. Like, please do all of that. We waited for this Speaker 7 (18:15) shit. We waited for this bullshit. Come on, Malibu. No, I Speaker 2 (18:19) really want people's honest opinion because I like did this myself. So if the next go around, I need help. I need everybody's honest opinion. No, Speaker 3 (18:27) I Speaker 2 (18:27) think, I Speaker 3 (18:28) think, well, I love that. Speaker 2 (18:29) I almost got Speaker 3 (18:29) kicked out your studio for that the first time I think we met. For real? Speaker 2 (18:31) By who? Not by me. Speaker 3 (18:33) No, no, no. You and Berg was cool. You and Berg wanted my opinion. It was the people that around you didn't particularly like my opinion. Oh, wow. Also, this Speaker 7 (18:39) is now this is a thing with Rory. Now, see, I'm glad he said that. None of Speaker 2 (18:43) those people are around, so you shouldn't have listened. Speaker 7 (18:45) Yeah, but nah, fuck that. I'm glad he said that because I always get