Scarface, the Houston rap legend and Geto Boys icon, pulled up to Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay for a wide-ranging conversation that blended hip-hop history, personal triumphs, and the kind of raw, unfiltered storytelling that only he can deliver. Sporting New Balance sneakers, sipping Sharpe’s award-winning Shay by Le Portier VSOP cognac, and playfully teasing the host, Scarface set the tone for a sit-down packed with heavyweight moments.
He even revealed he often hits the golf course with Shannon’s brother, Sterling Sharpe, calling him a scratch golfer whose swing still packs power.
Born Brad Jordan, Scarface grew up in Houston under the care of his grandmother, surrounded by the music his uncles played, the antics of a “crazy” grandfather, and the gritty streets that shaped him. His childhood stories range from playing football with the ferocity of Walter Payton and Earl Campbell to surviving a store robbery, a shooting, and open-heart surgery that left doctors stunned.
He opened up about losing his biological father to gun violence, how his stepfather “stood in the gap” during his upbringing, and the life lessons passed down from his grandmother that continue to guide him.
Scarface credits Ice Cube, Ice-T, LL Cool J, and Will Smith as early influences on his narrative-driven style. His personal top lyricist list includes Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, KRS-One, Nas, Jay-Z, Q-Tip, T.I., and Lil Wayne. He proudly recalled winning a 2001 top lyricist award over Jay-Z, Eminem, and Prodigy, and emphasized that older rap pioneers, much like key moments in Black history, should never be erased from the culture’s memory.
When it comes to collaborations, Scarface’s memories are vivid. He described Tupac as a true “partner” and hinted that they may have recorded what became Pac’s final track. He remembered watching Jay-Z freestyle entire verses without writing them down, and credited both Jay and DJ Khaled with giving him crucial support when he was battling COVID-19 and kidney failure, a gesture he compared to Hov’s help for Lil Wayne, DMX, and 21 Savage.
Ultimately, it was his own son who stepped up and donated a kidney, saving his life. Scarface also praised Kanye West as a “cold” producer with a deep vault of beats, revealing they have unreleased music together, and reminisced about discovering Ludacris during his Def Jam South days while learning directly from Ice Cube.
Scarface didn’t shy away from hot takes. He responded to Jim Jones’ comments about influencing Nas, pushed back on Drake’s claim that UK rappers are better than American MCs (“like saying Kobe is better than Jordan”), and spoke candidly about ghostwriting in the industry. He argued that only superstar artists like Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Beyoncé, and Taylor Swift are truly profiting from streaming, urging others to pull their catalogs from those platforms.
The conversation stretched far beyond beats and bars. Scarface touched on politics, fatherhood, and sports, from his own run for public office to his unwavering support for the Houston Rockets, Kevin Durant, Jalen Green, the Texans, C.J. Stroud, and head coach DeMeco Ryans. He even showed love to the young OKC Thunder squad.
To close, Scarface performed some of his biggest hits, breaking down the stories behind the tracks and reflecting on his long-standing creative partnership with Mike Dean.
From surviving the streets of Houston to sharing studios with Tupac, Jay-Z, and Kanye West, Scarface’s journey remains a blueprint in resilience, artistry, and authenticity, told, as always, in his own unforgettable voice.
