Drink Champs usually makes headlines for their hip-hop conversations, but the program's most recent guest is one of the biggest blue-eyed soul stars of the last 20 years. Moreover, Robin Thicke recently graced the Drink Champs studio, speaking on his many industry connections, wild stories, and long-lasting career. While many might know him best nowadays for "Blurred Lines," his laundry list of experience is much more extensive than that hit might suggest. In fact, during his conversation with N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN, he recalled signing to one of his collaborators on the track, Pharrell. However, one of his more illuminating comments came when discussing his many Lil Wayne collabs, where he spoke on his relationship to hip-hop.
Well, that was more based off of association, as we saw the "Masked Singer" judge talk about that experience through the lens of his Weezy collabs. Specifically, N.O.R.E. asked him how his hip-hop link-ups always felt natural, and how they even came about. "We were genuine fans of each other before we blew," Robin Thicke recalled. "Like, when I heard 'Go DJ'- I mean, you know, he was already blowing up. But when I heard 'Go DJ,' I was like, 'This is the next biggest artist, period.
Robin Thicke On Drink Champs
"I told Andre Harrell, and he was like, 'You think so?'" he continued. "I was like, 'Trust me, Dre, this is the one.' So, coincidentally, he just reached out to me. The first song on my debut album A Beautiful World- which it's the 20th anniversary of- he heard this song called 'Oh Shooter' on my debut album. He just hit me up out of nowhere and was like 'Yo, I love this record. Can you send me the tracks? Do you mind if I do something with it?'" That Tunechi remix landed on Tha Carter II.
"The first time that Lil Wayne ever did The Tonight Show- and the first time I ever did The Tonight Show- we did it together," he added. "The first time either one of us performed at the Grammys, we performed together. So him and I have a real history together." Despite his controversies, it's clear that the appreciation for hip-hop goes both ways. Elsewhere in the interview, he talks about signing with Pharrell, his family's industry experience, and much more. Check out the full Drink Champs episode above and return to HNHH for the latest on Robin Thicke.
