N.O.R.E. Recalls Making Adjustments To Transition Into Media

N.O.R.E. has one of the most inspirational stories in hip-hop. The Lefrak Queens rapper co-founded the legendary duo Capone-N-Noreaga and went on to score several Top 40 hits and platinum albums as a solo artist. Now, as the co-host of the award-winning podcast Drink Champs, along with DJ EFN,  he’s become one the the most trusted voices in hip-hop media.

But the transition from being a superstar rapper to a podcast host was not always seamless. During an interview with Vibe Magazine, one lesson he said he’s learned was punctuality.

“If you come late to your own show, the show won’t even happen,” N.O.R.E. explained. “A lot of artists still are not time-friendly.”

Another adjustment he made was from being a performer on the stage to being behind the microphone as a host.

“I made it seem easy because I was in the locker room with all these guys,” he explained “I was on tour with all these people. I knew these people, so it made it interesting to interview my friends. But I don’t know everybody in Hip-Hop. It’s awkward meeting somebody on camera and then asking them personal questions or asking them business questions.”

Because having drinks and conversations is the premise of the show,   N.O.R.E. and his crew take bets on how an interview will go based on what the interviewee orders from the bar.

 “If they order Hennessy, we know it’s going to be a ratchet-a** interview,” he joked.

“If they order Chardonnay, sparkling wine, or Champagne, we know this is going to be a cool one. If they order Bacchus, there’s probably going to be a lot of talking going on. If they order Tequila, this show might not last long,” he said.

N.O.R.E. also shared that some of the subjects of his interviews have thin skin and he has to be extra careful when the cameras are rolling.

“If someone makes a joke about someone else, and I laugh, I just co-signed it,” he admitted. “I’m part of the f**kery now, so I’m part of the beef.”

When it came to his most controversial interview with Kanye West and the backlash that ensued,  N.O.R.E. said he was made aware of his responsibility as a media member.

 “Every time he spoke about anybody and I laughed a little bit, these people were mad at me,” he revealed. “They texted me, they called me, they showed me the pictures, they showed me the videos.”