Jon Connor Interview: Discusses 24 Album With KLC & More

In our 2nd interview of 2025, Jon Connor talks about his duo album, 24 with former No Limit Records producer KLC, and much more so check it out.

For audio of the interview, click on the link below

All right, we’re here with Jon Connor once again. How’s it going, brother?

Man, I’m all good, man. Peace and blessing.

All right, let’s get right into it. As you know, we had an interview a couple months earlier, top of the year, and you had mentioned a project you were working on with the mega producer from No Limit Records, KLC, album dropping this month. Tell me a little bit about the project, and I mean, that’s a crazy collaboration, just off the two names alone, how everything came together and the process of making this album.

Oh man, first of all, thank you for your excitement, man, your enthusiasm for the project. I’m equally as excited to get it out there to everybody. As is KL, man.

How it came to be is crazy because it’s like, bro, this is like a dream project for me. When I was, you know, a kid, first listening to and discovering Hip Hop, KLC’s beats is actually what made me want to rap. Like, the song No Limit Soldiers is literally the first beat I learned how to play on my keyboard, and that’s the first thing that I learned how to like, rap to, and like, it just was something about his music that, like, I knew that this is what I wanted to do.

And, you know, it’s just a testament to how good God is that 24 years later, me and him ended up making a project together. And how it came to be was, I think it was South by Southwest 2012. Ironically enough, man, me and like 30 of my homies, we went to Austin, Texas, and part of our campaign was that we, like, had army fatigues on and picket signs and all of that.

And I got that idea from a DVD I saw of No Limit back in the day hustling. You know, they was on the corners in like Miami screaming and chanting, No Limit Soldiers and hustling. So I always have been influenced and inspired by No Limit’s grind and they hustle, and even the whole soldier thing.

Like, I took that and incorporated it in part of my hustle. So at South by Southwest in 2012, he actually was there. And I remember I had to do an interview with Sway, from Sway in the Morning.

And he was there with me and X and Mystical. And I remember seeing KL, and what people gotta understand for me is like, you know, in the vast list of super producers, you got, you know, your Kanye West, you got your Swift Speaks, your Timbalands, your Dr. Dre’s, your Teddy Riley’s, your Neptunes. For me, KLC is on that list.

You know, DJ Paul and Mannie Fresh, all of those guys. But for me, KLC is in my top five super producers of all time, so I had to go and say something. I went and introduced myself and let him know how much I respected and admired, you know, his accomplishments and all the work that he put in and just, you know, the foundation that he laid for New Orleans hip hop and how much it inspired me.

And we hit it off after that, man. And we have been talking about doing a project for a long time, but we just recently really locked in and got a chance to do it, man. I’m just really excited to put it out, man, for people to hear it.

OK, absolutely. And do you have a single or a video or both already in the works, ready to drop or just what’s the rollout looking like for the album?

So, this Friday, the first single, Biggest Flex, with me and Dee-1, Dee-1 from New Orleans. It’s really cool, too. All of the features on the project, for the most part, is from the south.

And this is kind of like my tribute to New Orleans hip hop, my tribute to southern hip hop, you know what I’m saying? And me and KL just, you know, bringing that classic New Orleans sound to the forefront again. So this Friday, Biggest Flex drops with me and Dee-1.

Then after that, we drop in a joint with me and Lil Wyte from 3-6 Mafia. Name of the joint is Where You From. Then the last single before the project drops is called Work, featuring DJ Paul from 3-6 Mafia.

And so first you got me and D1’s joint, Biggest Flex. Then after that, you got Where You From with me and Lil Wyte. Then after that, you got Work with me and DJ Paul.

And then on June 27th, the entire project 24 drops.

That leads right into my next question. You kind of answered it.

Is the sound more kind of that down south, No Limit sound, or do you feel it was a mixture, just kind of the process with you guys in making this project? Did you want to keep it just straight, you know, kind of a dirty south sound to it, or kind of, you know, introduce him maybe to some different production, just a little bit more, just kind of on the sound of the project?

Man, I’m telling you, this is the album that 14-year-old me always dreamed of making, and 40-year-old me can’t believe that it actually manifested. You know, I wanted KLC to do what KLC do. I didn’t want him to change nothing about what he do.

You know what I’m saying? I wanted that sound that I grew up on, that No Limit sound that I initially fell in love with. I didn’t want him to change nothing about what he did.

I wanted to be able to feel like I was a part of No Limit back in the day. Whatever that process was, when he would come in the room or they would come in the room, if you was on No Limit and KL gave you a beat, you know what I’m saying? I wanted to feel what that was like, what that process was like.

So I didn’t want KL to change nothing about what he do. It was to me, like I say, an honor to be able to rock over his joints, rock over the beats that made me want to rap in the first place. So far as the sound of the project, I think that it’s the perfect blend of Jon Connor doing what Jon Connor does and KLC doing what KLC do.

And when you listen to it, it’s the perfect marriage of both. I think that if you a fan of KLC, you’re gonna be excited and you’re a fan of Connor and what I do to be a fan of the project and you won’t be disappointed.

And then just one other quick question about it. You said No Limit Soldiers.

Is that your favorite beat or production that he has or do you have any other favorites that kind of stand out to you?

Bro, I’m about to just… Dude, like, but No Limit Soldiers, I would definitely say is near and dear to my heart. That’s the most, to me, iconic KLC beat because that established those…

That kind of army-cadence that became synonymous with No Limit. I think… It’s on the limit to kind of establish No Limit’s…

Like drum cadence, like that army cadence, like snare drum. So I think that No Limit Soldiers is probably the most iconic KLC beat, but I think somebody with Fiend and Mia X is one of my favorite KLC beats. Man, Down For My N**** with C-Murder, Snoop andMagic is one of my favorite KLC beats. Oh yeah. Man, you know what I’m saying?

I don’t wanna leave nothing out. The actual, I think he co-produced the song, I Got The Hook Up. I feel like he did the drums.

I Got The Hook Up is one of my favorite No Limit songs. It’s so many album cuts on No Limit albums that are some of my favorites. Like Fiends, there’s one in every family.

Man, matter of fact, on Fiends Street Life, Talk It Like I Bring It is one of my favorite KLC beats. I can’t even believe I was about to forget that. Talk It Like I Bring It, but I could go on for days, man, just talking about my love for KLC and his production, man.

Like I say, he’s on my top five super producers of all time. So yeah, those are some of my favorite KLC joints.

Yeah, it’s crazy you said that. That’s my first introduction to No Limit in general, and just Beast by the Pound was the true to the game, the double album. And how they came in like right after, they were like kind of right after Death Row and, you know, Pac got killed and everything.

And they’re right in between with the Bad Boy era and their before Cash Money and just how they kind of just took over the game. I would say my personal favorite, this guy probably be Move Bitch with Ludacris.

Yeah, yeah, with Ludacris.

Yeah, that No Limit Soldiers, that beat is timeless right there. When it come on, you already know it’s wartime.

He said, with all y’all true n****, bro, every time I jump out of my skin, Yes.

I thought that was dope, because it took us from 24 years of me first hearing his production, my journey was 24 years to actually meet KL and be able to get cool with him and make an album with him. So that’s where the origin of the 24 album came from, is the fact that that TRU album was the first album that I heard of theirs, and it made me, I was No Limit crazy after that.

Yep, absolutely, absolutely. All right, we’re now a couple months into, we’re now halfway point of 2025. You got this project coming up.

You dropped Food for the Soul earlier this year, and then EP with Tootsie the Rapper entitled Twin Flames. Just how has the reception and just the feedback been? And just, I’ve always said you’re one of the busiest MCs in hip hop right now, and you show it with all the projects that you’re dropping in singles.

Just what’s been the reception and just kind of the feedback that you got from both those projects dropping so far this year?

Man, I’m blessed and I’m grateful. You know what I’m saying? I’m blessed and grateful, man, just for all of the new fans and for, I don’t like calling people fans.

Like, for the new supporters and the people that have been supporting me the entire time, it just is insane, like the amount of love and feedback that I’ve been getting from the project. Like, when I dropped Food for the Soul, it was just like overwhelming love. And then, like, it really surprised me, too, because me and Tootsie decided to do Twin Flames just, you know, in a matter of seconds.

It was a matter of us just being on the phone with me and like, let’s do a project. And then when I dropped that, the love for that was crazy. So, not to jinx it or nothing and giving all praises to God.

Like, the response has been amazing. And I’m grateful to have built a loyal fan base of supporters of people that have been rocking with my journey. And I just want to do my best to keep giving them quality and keep giving them consistency.

And it’s my way of saying thank everybody for rocking with me, because music is truly what I love to do. It is my passion. It’s my heart.

It’s my joy. So as long as people are digging what I’m doing, I’m going to keep giving them music. So the responses have been great, and it just inspires me and makes me want to continue on making more and more music and giving more and more projects to the people, man.

Absolutely. Absolutely. All right.

My business partner with the site, T, he’s a huge Aftermath fan, and he wants you to send over a couple of Aftermath questions if you got some time to answer, if you go back in the time machine as far as your time or Aftermath.

Oh, good. Shoot. Let’s go.

First question he had, he said, how did you end up signing to Aftermath? And he said he had heard you on a mixtape of wrapping over a production on Eminem, a couple of  Eminem beats, but just the process of you signing to Aftermath.

So, how that happened was, I was already doing my thing on the underground, and I dropped a project called Unconscious State, which charted on Billboard, right? That was my first time charting on Billboard. This is prior to me signing to Aftermath.

So this is when I’m 100% independent. Xzibit called Wind of It, he reached out to me after that project dropped. He made the introduction to me and Dr. Dre.

Cause I’m trying to make a super long story short, but he made the introduction between me and Dre, flew out to California, Dre liked what I did. Then I met with Dre and Jimmy, and then they signed me, and then the rest was history.

And when you were with working at Aftermath, do you have any street albums or mixtapes that you had that were either completed or getting ready to drop that you were working there on Aftermath?

Yeah, absolutely. It was like the… I remember I did a couple EPs there, and then I did a full album.

I was working on a project called Vehicle City while I was on Aftermath and Interscope Records. And yeah, yeah, so I did. There was a lot of material over there left on the table that’s on over there on the hard drive, you know what I’m saying?

In California, you’re collecting dust, man. So there was a lot of music left on the table over there. But yeah, I did, I did.

I think the only thing that actually came out while I was there was I did a Kanye West Tribute mixtape. I did a Biggie Tribute mixtape. I think maybe I did like a couple features, and then I dropped a joint called I’m Back in 2018.

And then I did like a whole bunch of stuff for this radio show that Dre had called The Pharmacy. But that was like the only stuff that actually came out while I was over there. The actual music, like the original material that I was creating over there, none of that got a chance to see the light of day.

Okay. And in working with Aftermath, they have a star-studded, all-star list of producers. Did you have a favorite producer that you liked to work with on Aftermath staff or that you had good chemistry with?

You know what, I liked working with all of them, but for different reasons. I loved working with DemJointz because he always made it fun, and he always kept me laughing. I have a good sense of humor, and so do DemJointz.

So, Jointz, because he always kept me laughing. Focus, because focus, I always learned something dealing with focus. I looked at focus like a big brother, in the sense of an industry big brother who always was dropping gems on me.

Like when he would give me a beat, or he would play beats for me, like we would always get into some type of like philosophical conversation, or he would give me like, he would care about my career, like how I approach the record, and why certain things needed to happen on a record, but then also he would give me like industry game, you know what I’m saying, of how to just play the game and maneuver through the weeds, and through around snake-like people. Like he would always like have a genuine care for wanting to see my career blossom into everything that it could be. DJ Silk, because DJ Silk, me and him got the same birthday, and I think that plays a lot into both of us having the same musical ear.

And I would say I love working with him, because literally DJ Silk makes the type of beat that I naturally like to rhyme to. I feel like I can make songs to anything, but every time DJ Silk play music for me, I love everything he plays. So it’s always hard for me to pick like beats from DJ Silk, because I’m going to pick everything.

So I’m trying to think, who else over there? Name me some more Aftermath producers. Who else?

I’m trying to remember who I left over there when I was up.

DJ Khalil. Oh, DJ Khalil? Focus.

I want to say DJ Khalil, with him, I always respected DJ Khalil, and I love working with him, because he was always about his business, but I always felt that he had a good heart, and he was always good people. Like, you know what I’m saying? He has a type of energy in the room that reminds me of dudes that I grew up with, as far as just being good-hearted or kind-natured people.

So I always liked working with DJ Khalil, because he was a good dude. Like, I tell, you know, like, as far as the beats, of course that’s dope. You ain’t gonna be at Aftermath or on that level if your music ain’t dope.

So I’m trying to give y’all explanations for a while, like working with these people beyond just their beats was hot. You know what I’m saying? So DJ Khalil, we always, you know what I’m saying?

I just always connect with him, I feel like, on just a very human level. And I always enjoyed when he was around or in the studio, I truly did.

Another question he had, what’s your favorite quality about Dr. Dre and what was your thoughts when Compton, and I can remember, because I was actually in California when the Compton album came out, it seemed like it just dropped out of nowhere, which is completely unheard of from anything after math or Dr. Dre. But just your initial thoughts of when it did drop and just your favorite quality of working with Dr. Dre.

So the question is, my thoughts on when it dropped and my favorite qualities about Dre?

Yes.

Okay, my thoughts when it dropped was, I gotta give credit to everybody that was there at that time for that project dropping, because I think the influx of new energy that was around him at the time, like we all were so excited, and I feel like you got me, you got King Mez, you got Justice, you got Marsha Ambrosius, these are people that was over there, like, on a daily basis. You got Dem Joint, who was new at the same time over there. You had Anderson Paak, who was a new energy over there.

So you had a bunch of people who wasn’t necessarily jaded by the industry. So I feel like a lot of times, Dre feeds off of the energy of the people that’s around him at the time. So the thing is, I feel like because we were so excited, it made him excited, you know what I’m saying?

It’s like we, no matter what combination of us was in the studio with him, it was always an excitement. It was always, oh, let’s put this out. Man, I can’t wait to this drop.

It wasn’t like old industry energy of oh, we just making another record. No, I don’t give a shit. Like, you know what I’m saying?

No, it was like a bunch of people who were excited to make music, excited to be heard for the first time on this grand scale. I think also too, the movie was dropping straight out of Compton. So I think the spirit of releasing things, like him being in that spirit of I got this movie dropping, I got this dope new crew around me.

You know what I’m saying? I got these dope talented producers, I got these dope talented writers around me. And I think that the environment at the time is what made that album come out.

So I was just happy to see it, happy to be a part of it. I was blessed to be able to experience that so that I could learn things that, you know, I take with me for the rest of my life. So my thoughts on when the album came out, man, I was excited, because it was cool to be a part of a Dr. Dre project, you know what I’m saying?

Like, you know, people say and put him as like one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time. So that’s a feather in my cap to have the validation of my talent is good enough to play in the league. Like, if that makes sense to you.

If we’re talking about hip hop as if it’s the NBA. Like, you know what I’m saying? When you go from playing college ball to playing NBA ball, to street ball, to NBA ball, I was good on the underground.

And I feel like for me, Compton proved to me when I’m looking back at Dr. Dre and he giving me the two thumbs up, it was the validation of, yeah, I was right. I do deserve to play on this level. I do know what I’m talking about.

Like, I’m stamped, I’m validated, because the people that I respect respect what I bring to the table. So that’s my memories of that album and when it came out. So shout out to everybody that was around Aftermath at that time that I was there from 2013 to 2019.

Like, so all of the people over there, man, just a talented group of people, man. And I think that everybody should get saluted for bringing their energy to the table and giving Dre that energy to be excited about dropping something again. So that’s how I feel about Compton dropping.

And qualities about Dr. Dre, the quality, qualities or quality, singular or plural?

If it’s singular for you, singular, or if it’s plural, there’s, you know, just what sticks out to you the most?

I would say…

I’m trying to figure out how to word it. When Dre is producing you, he knows how to bring… He knows how to bring the best out of you without you realizing that’s what’s happening.

If I could put it like that. If you allow him to just do what he do and go into the studio with full trust, then he’s going to find a way to, as an artist, bring the best out of you, and he’s gonna make you sound ways that you didn’t know that you could sound. And he’s gonna make you feel comfortable with experimenting and trying new things with your voice and taking you to places in your artistry that you might not have ever thought about going to before.

And I think he has a very, just, man, how do I put it, man? It’s a, it’s a very, damn, it’s an interesting, it’s an interesting dynamic. So I would just say that he has a way of bringing the best out of artists and bringing things out of them that they didn’t know was in them.

And I’ve seen, he did it with me, and I’ve seen him do it with people that everybody respects. Like, you know what I’m saying? I’ve seen him do it with people that are great at being an artist, but even still, when they sit across from him, they’re still learning and he’s still bringing the best out of them as well.

You know, it’s funny you say that because when I first seen that you were working with Dr. Dre, I kind of put it similar to like when Xzibit first started working with Dre, where you got like a hardcore lyricist and it’s like, okay, now we’re going to hear him over some Prime Dre production. And just what it did for Xzibit with that Restless album, and I’m a huge West Coast head. I mean, grew up and live on the West Coast.

And all the stuff Exhibit did with The Alkaholiks, that shit was dope, but Restless was just… And even he was working with Aftermath producers on his second album. And he worked with DJ Muggs and a whole bunch of just big name producers.

“But when you heard him on… When I first heard that X track, it was like, okay, now this is a new level. And same thing I told you in the last interview, One Shot Kill and For the Love of Money.

Just the sample alone from the Bone track, but just those two tracks and listening to you and Snoop just effortlessly just… Just lyrical on that track back and forth. And everything just…

Man, that really was a dope, dope moment for me just from a hip hop fan perspective to hear you and Dre collaborating like that. So you put it perfectly, because that’s how I felt about it.

Man, I appreciate you saying that. I got these shorts that I’m going to start doing where I go on deep dives and talk about how a lot of these records came about. Matter of fact, I got the Connor Culture Podcast that’s available right now on my web channel, www.connorculture.com, where we talk about from beginning to end how the love of money came to be.

And also, I’m going to do a deep dive on One Shot, One Kill. And man, right now, dog, as an artist, I truly just feel like I’m checking things off on my bucket list, man. Like, for me to think about, bro, I’m a kid from Flint, Michigan, bro.

I grew up watching these dudes and being inspired by these dudes, right? So at this point, I’m like, damn, I’ve worked with and I’ve spit over Dr. Dre production. I have my own solo song on a Dr. Dre album featuring Snoop Dogg, right?

So that’s some legendary shit. I had a whole project with KLC, with Fiend, Mac, Mr. Serv On, DJ Paul. It’s like these are the people that I grew up respecting.

I always wanted to be respected by the people that I came up respecting. So for me, it’s like then I’ve been on DJ Paul projects and rapped over DJ Paul beats. These is people that are on my, like, of all time list.

Like, right now, man, I’m just having a ball, creating the music that I want to make and adding to Jon Connor’s legacy now. Adding to the artist, Jon Freeman’s legacy now, man. And in the process, just, man, having fun and just giving people, you know, hopefully some shit that gets them through their day, man.

Okay. Absolutely. Absolutely.

All right. Well, that’s all the questions I have for you. Appreciate you getting down for the interview as always, man.

It’s an honor and privilege to sit down. And I feel like we could talk for hours about music and just everything.

Absolutely, man. You know, we’re going to do this every time, bro.

Yes.

Absolutely.

Absolutely. Is there any last words or shout outs you want to get out there to the people?”

Yes, please, y’all. Make sure y’all go check out me and KLC 24. It is produced entirely by the legendary KLC, co-executive produced by KLC and myself.

Man, June 27th, the first single, me and Dee-1 the biggest flex after that. Where you from with me and Lil Wyte after that?

Work with me and DJ Paul. And then on June 27th, 24, the complete album. You can get it at connerculture.com, and you can also get it, you know what I’m saying, just on any streaming site that you go to.

Make sure y’all check out the Connor Culture Podcast. Also check out Culture Mania, which is my pro wrestling podcast. So I’m just moving and shaking, moving and grooving, man.

And holler at your promoters, man, in whatever city you’re in. If you wanna see me live, man, tell them to get at me and let’s make it happen.