DJ Drama Breaks Down the RICO, the Unreleased Gangsta Grillz, and What’s Next on Effective Immediately

On a recent episode of Effective Immediately with DJ Hed and Gina Views, DJ Drama sat down to reflect on his career, offering unfiltered insight into his creative process, business decisions, and enduring influence in hip-hop. As the face behind Gangsta Grillz and co-founder of Generation Now, Drama’s presence in the culture is undeniable.

Generation Now, the label Drama runs alongside Don Cannon and Leighton “Lake” Morrison, has built a roster that includes Jack Harlow, Lil Uzi Vert, and newcomers like Kai Ca$h and Carvena. Drama explained that the label’s name has its roots in his early mixtape era. “We needed a title for the mixtape and I came up with Generation Now… Later, when we needed a name for our production company, we were like, ‘How’s Generation Now sound?’ Everybody was like, ‘Yeah, that’s it.’”

The Artist Development Philosophy

One of the most revealing parts of the conversation revolved around how Generation Now identifies talent. “We lead with skill set,” Lake explained during the interview. “That doesn’t traditionally always lead you to the same type of artist.” Drama added, “We want to build from the ground up. A lot of people try to create a moment, but we try to be prepared for the moment.”

This approach is deeply rooted in preparation. Jack Harlow, for example, spent nearly two years recording before his breakout. Drama emphasized the value of that preparation: “They’ve been in the dojo with Cannon doing songs for a year and a half... so when the moment hits, you can take advantage of it.”

The Gangsta Grillz Legacy

Drama’s Gangsta Grillz series has become an institution in mixtape culture. Despite estimates from online sources, he clarified the scale of his output. “Google says it’s 150 Gangsta Grillz projects. They’re wrong. It’s more like 275 or 300. There might be 150 classics.”

His collaborations stretch coast to coast, from Nipsey Hussle to Tyler, The Creator. “I remember Nip came to me with the idea for the $100 mixtape. I was like, let’s get it. That became Crenshaw, and the rest is history.”

On his work with Tyler, Drama shared insight into the Grammy-winning Call Me If You Get Lost. “Tyler had already won the year before. His approach was different this time. When Lake came to the studio, he said, ‘Y’all gonna win a Grammy for this.’”

Navigating Controversies and Internet Noise

Drama and his team have often stayed silent in the face of online criticism, especially around artists like Uzi and Harlow. “You can’t beat the internet,” Lake said. “A fan is someone obsessed. No matter what I tell you, you’re gonna believe what you believe. Time tells everything.”

They choose to keep working, focusing on long-term impact. “We knew what we had,” Drama added. “We learn by trial and error... We don’t talk about [internet drama], we just work.”

Building Culture Through Chains and Logos

Label culture is often wrapped in symbolism, and Drama acknowledged that. “The logo comes first, then the chain. It’s been that way since the ’90s. The first I saw was Cash Money. Death Row too.”

He mentioned their Generation Now chains were crafted by an L.A. jeweler. “We design the logo and then take it to them. They show it to us in a PDF, we yay or nay it, then it comes out how it comes out.”

Mixtapes, Monetization, and the RICO Case

Drama also reflected on the infamous RICO case that temporarily shook his operation. “In the beginning, I looked at sites like DatPiff like, ‘Yo, they’re giving away the dope for free.’ But after the raid, we made more money in the DatPiff and LiveMixtape era than before.”

He credited that era for laying the foundation of today’s streaming economy. “It really paved the way for what streaming is now.”

The first creation post-raid was a track called “Art of Storytelling,” which featured Outkast and Marsha Ambrosius. “It was based on what we went through during the trial. You can’t stop us. We’re stronger than ever.”

Missed Tapes and What Could’ve Been

Not every Gangsta Grillz tape saw the light of day. “There was a Drake and Gucci collab tape that almost happened,” Drama revealed. “Days Before Rodeo was supposed to be a Gangsta Grillz. Beat Me Up Scotty by Nicki—almost too.”

Some, like a fully completed tape with Mistah F.A.B., remain unreleased. “It’s great [stuff], with all the talk and everything. He never put it out.”

Staying Active in a New Era

Drama’s presence in the studio and streets hasn’t faded with time. “L.A. has always shown me love,” he said. “If it wasn’t for my deep roots in Atlanta, I’d probably live here.”

He still collaborates with new school artists like G Perico and Kai Ca$h. Perico’s Gangsta Grillz is the latest drop. “We’ve worked together for years. It’s still a blessing they feel like it’s for them.”

Kai Ca$h, part of the Junior Mafia lineage, also has a project in the works. “He comes from that legacy, but he’s also super talented. That’s the key. We listen to the music, and it’s actually good.”

The Producer’s Touch

Don Cannon’s fingerprints are all over some of the most recognizable tracks in the game. He produced “Go Crazy,” the Jeezy and Jay-Z collaboration, originally intended for Willie the Kid. “Tip didn’t even know he was rapping on it. I put him on it and put it on a mixtape.”

The moment Jay-Z performed it live was unforgettable. “I got chills. Goosebumps. Might’ve cried,” Cannon admitted. “That’s when I knew I was supposed to be here.”

Christian Hip-Hop Crossovers

Cannon’s work also expanded into Christian hip-hop through his work with Lecrae. “Somebody was like, ‘Yo, it’s this rapper you need to do a tape with.’ It was Lecrae. We did three tapes, then a record that won a Grammy.” That crossover brought pride to his family. “My mom was like, ‘I can finally go to church and brag.’”

Curation, Timing, and the Jack Harlow Dilemma

Releasing the right record at the right time is an ongoing conversation. Drama explained, “We usually drop a rap record first, then we go into the single. Just to let people know, he’s not abandoning this.”

Lake agreed: “There’s a fine line between cultural relevance and making hits. And the elephant in the room—his skin is a little fair. But he actually cares about the culture.”

Drama’s strategy is deliberate. “We bake them and the guys pick them. I can’t choose—I like them all.”

An Evolving Blueprint

The Effective Immediately episode made clear that DJ Drama’s formula hasn’t just endured; it’s evolved. And even with Grammy wins and decades in the game, he and his team are still shaping what’s next.

“People like G [Perico] and Kai [Ca$h] grew up on Gangsta Grillz,” Drama said. “For me, to still be able to talk my [expletive] on records in 2025—it feels like cheating.”