Exclusive: JAG Talks Melo, Drake & Jay-Z, NBA and Legalbusiness

NBA Talk — Wembanyama, Brunson & the Finals

Q6: Victor Wembanyamajust won Defensive Player of the Year. He's already looking like a generational talent. What's your honest take on Wemby — is he the real deal or is the hype getting ahead of him?

I believe Wemby's the real deal, of course. Every player who comes in extraordinarily that young usually does have a little hype. So, of course, he has hype on him, but from what I can see, he's the future. If he can develop the post-game to go along with the rest of his game — if he can get a turnaround jump shot, a Hakeem Olajuwon-type post-game — he'll be one of the greatest centers of all time. He'll be one of the greats, period. You can tell he definitely has the will to do it, is dedicated, and is determined.

Q7: Jalen Brunson has had an absolutely monster season for the Knicks. How would you describe his impact on New York — the city, the culture — and does his energy remind you of anyone in the music world?

He needs to walk around with a crown. Compare him to anybody in the music game — it would be Drake. Right now in 2026, if we're going off hip-hop, Drake is winning. He's number one; he's the king again. No matter what you say about him — just like JB, you can say he's small, not athletic, you can say everything — he is a dog. I've got him right now as the number one clutch player in the NBA, and he could possibly go down as a top-five point guard in NBA history for me.

Q8. The Knicks are in the Finals against the Spurs. Who are you riding with, and what would a Knicks championship mean to New York’s overall culture right now?

I’m riding with the Spurs, but no disrespect to the Knicks — they’re fighting. It would be amazing for the next generation and for New York. New York has been waiting generations and generations for a win. A real win, a championship — it would be huge for the city. Super bragging rights. And saying, finally, in this era, New York is here. It’s a huge step for New York. DRAKE — ICE MAN, HABIBTI & MAID OF HONOUR

Q9. Drake’s been busy — “Ice Man,” “HAIBITI,” “Maid of Honour” are all out. How do you break down what Drake is doing sonically right now, and do you think he’s evolving or staying comfortable?

Evolution and music go hand in hand; we all tend to evolve. If you’re able to come back after two years, as much as everyone wants to maintain a consistent sound, you have to evolve in some way, or you risk losing your fan base. I feel like Drake is continuing to do that. Breaking down three projects the way he did leaves a little something for everybody. Ice Man was more rap-focused, but he didn’t leave the women out; he made sure to cater to his core fan base. That’s what a lot of artists stop doing. Sometimes, stepping too far outside the box can be a reach; your fan base doesn’t pick up on it, and the project flops. But Drake went back to what his fans love, what we’ve been missing. So it’s not like he oversaturated us; it’s more like, damn, we’ve missed this so much, and now it’s finally back.

Q10. “HAIBITI” in particular sparked a lot of conversation. What’s your read on it — is Drake speaking to a specific audience or broadening his lane, and how does a record like that influence what other artists feel free to create?

First off, I feel like it’s different from all the music that’s out right now. Drake has his own sound. He might get inspired by artists, but we all do. It wouldn’t be a Michael Jackson without a James Brown. I feel like it wouldn’t be Destiny’s Child without En Vogue; it’s always been like that. So of course he’s inspired, but I do feel like he’s shown artists that you can be creative and free at the same time. As a rapper, you tend to get boxed in — you can’t sing because now you’re ‘too soft,’ you can’t do love songs because now you’re ‘too lovey-dovey.’ It’s like somebody made up rules that nobody agreed to. Art is art. If you can convey it to a broad fan base who’s going to relate to it — why not? Spike Lee is not a gangster from New York, but he directed films like that. Artists gotta stop boxing themselves in, thinking this is the only type of music they can make. Because Drake is showing that you can do any type of music you want — and if the people believe in it and it sounds good sonically, you’re going to be on top. JAY-Z FREESTYLE AT THE ROOTS PICNIC

Q11. Jay-Z dropped a new freestyle at The Roots Picnic, and the internet went crazy. Where does that moment rank for you as a hip-hop fan, and what does it say about Hov that he can still command that kind of attention with no warning?

I look at Hov as one of the GOATs; he’s one of my favorites. So to see him, at his age, still able to freestyle like that, and not sound like he’s straight out of a 1970s rap movie, that’s dope. Coming from battle rap, you very seldom get to hear your favorite artist rap without a beat. So for me, it was a breath of fresh air. And I’ll say this: I loved it for hip-hop. What Drake did — bringing Jay-Z out like that — I was happy for it. Because who else can do that? Nobody else has been able to bring Jay-Z out. That’s saying something. So the fact that Drake pulled it off? That’s another flex. It’s huge for hip-hop to bring out a legend, and then actually get to experience what that legend can do. Maybe Drake did it as a fan — we don’t know. Maybe the only way he could bring out his favorite rapper was to come at him like that. Either way, it worked. And yeah, I loved what Jay did.

Q12. What do you think a battle between those two would look like? In a back-and-forth between Jay and Drake — if I can compare it to the Finals — I’d say Drake leads four to three. I’ve got Jay right there, it goes to a Game 7, but I think Drake pulls it out in Game 7. NEW MUSIC — MIXTAPES, ALBUMS & WHAT THEY WANT VOL. 2 p>Q13. What’s on the horizon for JAG beyond “More Than the Game”? Are there any projects — mixtapes, albums, collabs — that fans should be expecting?p> Yes, I’m working on my second mixtape before my album. It’s called This Is What They Want, Volume Two. Volume One was exclusively on my SoundCloud, but Volume Two will be on all platforms. There are some major features on there, though it’s mostly me — about 90%. I’m showcasing what we’re lacking right now in the West: storytelling. Making things feel real, bringing my life to the forefront, but also telling other people’s stories vicariously, so others can relate. My whole story might not be your story, but there might be something in this that you can connect with. So yeah, I’m getting more personal with this one — real relationships, real-life situations. This one is more TDE meets J. Cole, mixed with straight-up drive. If the Big Three had actually made an album together, I’m pretty much giving you all of that.

Q14 NBA All-Star Weekend was in LA this past season. You were part of a freestyle cipher with Priority Records on ESPN — looking back, what are your thoughts on being able to do that?

It’s crazy, because I was just talking about that. It’s huge being a part of basketball. As far as rap, I’m probably the most sports-driven rapper — I stand behind that. You can hear it in my punch lines. I feel like I have the best sports punch lines across the board, whether it’s the NFL, MLB, or the NBA. I’ve been a basketball head my whole life — that’s my first love. Music is my second love, actually. So being part of NBA and ESPN All-Star Weekend was special to me. It still holds a big place in my heart, because I know I had a place in history — I did what I was supposed to do in order to be heard from the sports world. FAST LIFE LEMONADE & LEGALBUSINESS CLOTHING

Q15. Fast Life Lemonade — talk to us about what’s going on with that. Is it a brand, a project, a lifestyle, or all of the above? That’s my boy’s brand. I go back and forth from Vegas to LA all the time, and a lot of people bring me things to try. I’m a blunt, realistic person, so I don’t like doing taste tests in front of people — if something’s not good, I’m going to tell you. But this one shocked me, because I didn’t have to do that. The lemonade is fire. We’re actually working on a JAG lemonade right now, and once I have more details on the flavors, I’ll make sure to share them in our next interview.

Q16. Are you looking for equity in the companies you partner with as well? Any brand or company that I work with — if they’re not on the level of Nike or Louis Vuitton — I need to make sure it’s the right fit for me as a businessman. I have to look out for myself and my family, as well as the people within the company I’m partnering with. It has to mean something to put my name on it. I’m not in this for a quick buck — I’m here for the long run. So it makes sense for me to have equity in the companies I do business with.

Q17. Legalbusiness clothing is now at the Beverly Center in LA — that’s a major retail milestone. How did that come about, and what does landing in a spot like that mean for the brand’s trajectory?

Shout out to my brother Twizzy — that’s my business partner. He actually started it and brought it to life. We started with just T-shirts. He got the idea, like, ‘Damn, I could make my own clothing line,’ and just ran with it. When he got the business going, it was so dope. We all ran with it, became a part of the company, and started coming up with ideas — a lot of colorways and designs. We all pitch in and get it done. It’s actually moving great. We got a lot of stars wearing it, so guys, support it and see where it goes.

Q18.Are you personally invested in Legalbusiness — financially, creatively, or both? And what’s the long-term vision for the brand? Our plan — my plan — was never to get into the fashion world, and neither was Twizzy’s. It just happened to come about that way. We see how other brands are doing. A lot of calls are up, and even bigger brands like Spider are moving in ways that inspire us. We want to be able to move like that. I’m taking it seriously, like a real clothing line. We have a store, we have a website, we’re getting jeans made overseas, with special treatments to improve quality and make the brand even more personal. As for the future — we just want to see it grow, possibly sell it for millions, and do it again. That’s me and Twizzy: super business-minded. He’s a Capricorn, I’m a Sagittarius — it just works for us. We both see the same vision. If we could sell this company for $100 million on just the idea alone, why not? Then go back to the drawing board and do it again. We’re creatives, and that’s the great thing about it — you can always come up with something new, see if it sticks, and if it doesn’t, start over.

JAG doesn’t rap to trend. He doesn't build brands for the sake of influence. He moves as athletes do, driven by urgency, intent, and a perspective that transcends the current moment.

In a conversation that ranged widely across basketball, music, business, and legacy, the common thread that stood out most wasn't any single quote, but the overall connection among them: This man has delved into the game at all levels and has chosen to play it as he sees fit.

With "More Than the Game" as a mission statement, the release of What They Want Volume 2 is imminent, and Illegal Business is steadily gaining traction toward a significant presence; 2026 might mark the shift in the JAG conversation from 'keeping an eye on him' to 'already knowing him.' He speaks as if just beginning, and that distinctiveness makes him especially menacing.