Maddox Batson is a young musician and creator known for his viral clips on social media, playing country music on TikTok, and more. His latest song “Tears in the River” is streaming now on audio platforms and YouTube.
Maddox joins Theo to chat about what it’s like being a kid in the music business, learning about classic country through his dad, why school dances are lame, what it’s been like in class since he gained notoriety, what musician he thinks Theo looks like, and more.
Maddox Batson: https://www.instagram.com/maddoxbatson/
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I'm grateful to just get to know him because I don't even know him, but looking forward to it.
Today's guest is Maddox Batson.
Shine that light on me I'll sit and tell you my stories Shine on me And I will find a song I've been singing I'm going to stay And I'll be right back Maddox, thanks for coming in, dude.
So I learned about you, man.
So many of my friends, I was telling them yesterday, I was like, yeah, this kid, Maddox Baston's coming in.
Do you know him?
And like, their guys are like, I've been kind of following that kid.
It's just kind of crazy how many of my friends are dialed into you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So I saw you getting ready for that dance, you know?
That's fire.
Bro.
And I was like, bro, I used to get ready for dances like that.
Yeah.
You know, getting excited.
Exactly.
You know, I actually didn't get to go to the dance.
And a lot of people don't know why.
That's what I was going to ask you.
Yeah, because you said for a dance, I don't even get to go to it.
And I'm like, what else?
Like, yo, why, Maddox?
All the comments.
Like, I went to the doctor once, right?
I was on the doctor, like, sick, like sick, sick, right after I posted this video.
And I was like, sick.
And I was walking into the doctor's office and two different people were like, yo, Maddox, why didn't you go to the dance?
And I'm like, dude, I'm doubled over right now.
It's not the right time to be asking this question.
I was like, yeah, man, I was actually sick.
I was sick during the dance.
It was like, it was like, yeah, right after I posted it.
I did that video sick.
Oh, wow.
Yeah.
So that was it.
So the reason you didn't get to go was just because you were ill.
Yeah, exactly.
I've been ill a lot, bro.
Like, I've gotten sick like six times in the winter.
I don't know if I'm just catching everything.
Do you think it's genetics or something?
Are your parents ill a lot?
Nah.
Not really.
My dad is, but my mom has type 1 diabetes.
So, like, other than that, she's not.
Exactly, bro.
Most people do.
I mean, who doesn't?
Yeah, if you even have half a bag of Skittles, I feel like when you're a kid, you get it.
Yeah.
Well, I think, no, type one isn't like the sugar stuff.
Type one, you get like diagnosed with.
She was like 19. Yeah.
Yeah, because I think there's type one, two, three.
I don't know what some of the higher up ones.
Yeah.
Six or seven, I think, just means like you're a little, like you're just a real sweetie pie.
Yeah, type six diabetes might be diabetes basics.
Yeah, I think type six just means.
Are there more types?
Bro, there's so many types.
Yeah, see, they don't label types.
They don't label three through whatever because those are the crazy ones.
Yeah.
They only label the normal ones.
Most people you kind of look like a Dalmatian, I think, a little.
Like you start getting dots all over you?
Yeah.
I haven't seen that one yet.
Oh, that's the real.
That's the one when you start.
That's the one you're just like, dang, I have Dalmatian diabetes.
You know what I'm saying?
That's the one where the neighbors start to like, they start to honk at you if you run after their car.
And you start getting dog instincts and you start picking up sticks, starting everywhere.
You'll start catching a frisbee with your mouth.
You're like, oh, wow, this guy has really diabetes.
You know, just all that.
Have you gone to a dance before yet, though?
Yeah, no, no, no.
I've gone to them, bro.
They're mad mid.
I'm not going to lie.
I'm eighth grade.
You know, still middle school, so it's still kind of like boring.
No one be dancing with each other.
They just sit there with their phones out every time.
Really?
You know, I'm trying to dance, bro.
I go there.
Why are they going to call it a dance instead of like a phone gathering?
You know what I'm saying?
I go there.
They put on Bieber and I'm dancing, bro.
Me and my homie Joseph.
We're dancing every time.
Sixth grade dance.
Everyone was looking at us crazy, filming me and stuff.
And, you know, I was just out there having a blast.
Yeah, you got to do it.
I paid $10.
I'm going to go in there and dance.
You know what I'm saying?
And even if you're single, you pay $10 to go?
Yeah, exactly.
For like, what, a lonely tax or whatever?
Exactly.
They're just like, yo, Maddox, you don't have a girl, so I'm going to make you pay more money.
Yeah.
So now I don't have a girl and I'm broke.
I lost my entire allowance and I don't have a girlfriend, bro.
Dang, bro.
They really become a bad person.
Tragic.
Tragic, bro.
And, bro, I used to get so nervous when I'd go to the dance when the slow songs would come on.
Like, I would go in the bathroom and just to hide.
Like, I was like so nervous of girls.
I would be that far away from them.
I would be in the bathroom.
No, I'm a girl guy, bro.
Yeah.
I am too.
But at the time, I was too nervous.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Like sixth grade, bro, until like the end of the year, bro.
I was not having girls, bro.
But yeah, but right at the end, I was like, yo, these girls are, you know, they're pretty cool, I guess.
You know what I'm saying?
That's all you got to think.
Exactly.
As long as your mind's right, you're right.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Damn.
All right.
But yeah, we get so nervous, dude.
And then one time, this guy that lived across the street, his grandfather, like my dad didn't live with us, and my mom was always gone.
And so like his grandpa helped me get ready for the dance at our school.
And he like was in the war or something.
So he put me in like all of his like military like attire.
Nice.
So you're like walking in like, yeah, I'm a sergeant.
Where's my get up?
Get a discount, military discount.
I showed up to an eighth grade dance, literally like walking in like this, bro.
And people were like, what?
You're not in any military, dude.
You can't even run that path.
Yeah, you wouldn't even pass the physical.
Yeah, you're 40s bad, bro.
But yeah, it was just so embarrassing.
But I wore it all because I just didn't know.
You told me it was right.
Yeah, exactly.
You didn't know.
Yeah, you're in eighth grade.
What other dances have you gone to?
Have you gone to like Sadie Hawkins?
Do you guys have like Sadie Hawkins or anything like that?
I don't even know what that is, bro.
It's where the girls ask the guys.
Ooh, no.
Never had one of those.
You know, like, I only went, so I only went to one, right?
Because one was my sixth grade year.
I actually went to that one and had this crush on this girl.
I didn't ask her out, though.
She wasn't my girl yet.
But I was like, yo, what's up?
Did you see her at the dance?
Yeah.
And I was like, I was like, yo.
But it was not it, bro.
I did not have game like I thought I had game.
You were like 200 feet away from me.
Yo, what's up?
I'm sitting on the other side of the cafeteria eating my pizza.
I'm trying to talk to her.
Like texting her.
Yeah, I'm like, yo, where you at?
And I'm looking dead at her.
But yeah, it's pretty funny.
Bro, that's hilarious.
Yeah, that's how nervous I used to get.
Exactly.
And so you never got to go.
So when's the next dance?
Do you have another dance coming up or what's it look like?
Nah, they're always at the end of the year.
So like we've already had ours and that's one I missed.
Oh, yeah, huh?
Yeah, bro.
It's pretty tragic, dude.
I missed it last year, too.
Seventh and eighth grade, bro.
I'm going to have to wait till like what?
What's like high school stuff?
I don't know.
I didn't finish, yeah.
Oh, nice.
Awesome.
Yeah.
Not everybody finishes.
You know, that's all right.
You know, all good.
All good.
All right, bro.
All right, bro.
But what, yeah, there's...
Why didn't you go to the other side?
I was actually filming a commercial, bro.
Shout out Rooms to Go.
If you're watching any Rooms to Go commercial on your TV right now, you get like an ad of this podcast.
It might be me.
You might see me bouncing on the bed, top right corner.
Yep.
About 36 seconds in, too.
Really?
Yeah.
So you've been an actress.
You were acting and doing a lot of stuff like that for a long time.
Yes, bro.
Before I started singing, like I started singing at young age.
Both of my parents like singing stuff.
But I started acting like six.
Like right when I moved to Alabama, right?
I started acting and I was like getting into plays and stuff.
I was Simba and the Lion King.
Were you really?
Yeah.
Funny story.
I was third grade.
And young Simba was like fifth grade.
And he was like way taller, way bigger.
And I was adult Simba.
And it just made no sense at all.
But, you know, got the job done.
I guess I was just a better actor.
And you were, so you had, oh, there you are right there, Meta, bro.
Dude, look at them picks.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
That one looks like a perp right there.
Go back to the other one.
The other one looks like a low-key trank dealer, dude.
Okay, no shade, bro.
No shade.
It's good.
Okay, yeah, no, it's really good.
My mom used to put me in them high and tight hairstyles, bro.
I was like, I'm staring into the soul of anyone who's looking at me.
Wow, yeah, bro.
That is bad.
That one looks like somebody that just climbed up out of a wishing well, it looks like.
But really cool, though.
Definitely.
Yeah, whoever just pulled this up, you did me dirty.
You're doing me wrong, man.
I don't know.
Yeah, whoever's doing that, I don't know who's doing that.
But look, no, actually go back to it real quick.
Look, you can say theater.
Best Christmas pageant ever.
You probably don't know that that is, but it was a pretty big play.
Wizard of Oz, you know, Lion King Jr.
I wasn't in Broadway.
And I was going to be Aladdin, and then COVID hit, and I just, I fell out, I fell off acting.
And then music kind of has just like blasted off for you recently.
Yeah, dude.
It was actually super crazy.
So I'm a baller.
I play ball.
I play basketball and baseball.
Yeah, I saw some of your highlights on.
I'm him, bro.
Yeah.
You need to put some other highlights out.
Should I?
Yeah.
Should I?
I mean, the ones you have are good.
Yeah.
The jumper, I love.
Yeah, I love this.
That's what I was saying.
No, no, no.
You've definitely been watching the wrong highlights.
Really?
Yeah, you've been watching like third grade Maddox.
I was still cooking, but like, that's not it, bro.
But, like, I actually got like this knee disorder in both of my knees, and that's why I couldn't play ball no more.
And, like, it's called Osgoode Slaughter's Disease.
What is that?
Osgood Slaughter.
Same.
For real.
Like, when I heard it, I was like, who names their child Osgood?
And who had that?
Like, poor guy.
You're named Osgood and you have a disease.
Like, you're cooked.
And, first of all, how can I even tell people I have exactly?
Every time I'm like, should I really tell him or just say I have a knee thing?
You see, Osgood Schlaughter's disease.
It's like some bone sticks up out of my kneecap.
Wow.
It's pretty strange, man.
So you're like a real...
Yeah, I can't move most.
Yeah.
It's pretty bad, bro.
I'm like walking around like, you know, like, you ever watch Force Gump?
Yeah.
You know how he had like the knee braces?
Like he couldn't move?
It's not based on a true story.
You know that?
True?
Yeah.
It's not.
It's not.
No.
Dang, I'm actually really sad about it.
Is it actually?
It's not.
Dude, Alabama has nothing.
Like, he's alright.
You know, but, you know, you ever see him before he had his knee braces off?
That's what I feel like every time I walk.
Oh, really?
Yeah.
And he escaped the braces.
Yeah, exactly.
His little leg prisons or whatever they had to do.
Exactly.
The leg bars.
Yeah, once Ozgood sinks back down.
Ozgood.
Ozgood, bro.
He needs to soften up, bro.
Once he softens up, bro, I'm breaking free.
Bro, Ozgood and Oz gone, bro.
That's how I was here.
Exactly, bro.
Oh, that's how I was him.
But yeah, that prevented me from playing boss, so I had nothing else to do during that summer.
So, you know, me and my dad started playing music on TikTok Live.
And I'm like, yeah, I'm actually doing pretty good.
I had like 50,000 followers.
But for me, I was like, yo, this is crazy.
That's amazing.
Exactly.
In like a month.
Yeah, it's exciting, man.
Exactly.
And yeah, and what was that right there?
It said that Forrest Gump was maybe based on, although Forrest Gump wasn't a real person, a high possibility he was partially inspired by veteran Sammy Lee Lewis.
Was he the guy who dressed you up for the dance?
Yeah.
Probably.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Nice.
Well, if music doesn't work out, you have a future in being my co-host.
There we go, bro.
Or dialed in.
No joke.
Yeah, Sammy Lee Lewis.
That was me going to prom.
That was my haberdasher.
Nice.
That was my fit god.
Oh, he had me all souped up.
Like bubblegum strip patches.
Yeah, I had like a purple heart.
And then I had like a discount.
Yo, make sure I get my discount out there.
Still had to pay 10, bro.
So what's it been like at home?
Because your life has probably started to change some.
Yeah, so what does that kind of feel like?
And what is that?
Has it been scary or kind of like, what's that seem like?
You know, the home life, I try to like get it as much as I can.
Like I Try, like, when I'm home with my both of my parents at the same time, we try to like slow it down and all that stuff.
But yeah, it's pretty cool.
I mean, I love the music stuff, but I just try to stay down to earth for most times when I'm with my parents.
Yeah, because they're still your parents.
I mean, they make a lot of the rules and everything.
Exactly, bro.
They're the ones who, you know, birthed me.
So, you know, without them, yeah, I wouldn't be here talking to you right now.
So, shout out to mom and dad if you're watching, bro.
Y'all made a great son.
I got to do that.
Hey, shout out, mom.
You made a great son.
Yeah, shout out, Miss Vaughn.
Yeah, shout out, Miss Von.
She's dialed in.
She's dialed in.
She's totally dialed in, dude.
She delivered.
My mom works for Amazon.
What does your mom do?
My mom, with the diabetes, she don't work.
Oh, she doesn't?
No, no, no.
My dad, he does like operations, you know, stuff like that.
He like runs like the entire plant, like or like two plants or something.
I don't know.
He's like a foreman, kind of?
I don't know if that is.
Like a man, I think, that runs something, basically.
Yeah, he's a foreman.
My dad's a foreman.
Hard worker, man.
I think I've watched him miss one day of work his entire life.
Like my entire life.
It's crazy, bro.
He's always gone.
And are you similar to him?
Or whose characteristics do you have?
So in some ways, I'm dialed in.
Like when I'm in the studio, bro, I'm locked.
When I'm making my music, I'm dialed in.
But other than that, bro, nah.
I'm trying to get out of it as much as I can, bro.
But I love it, bro.
I still love it.
It's not like for the fact I don't want to do it.
Sometimes I just be lazy.
You know what I'm saying?
Yeah, exactly.
And you're at the age where you can be lazy.
Exactly.
I'm only 14, man.
Yeah.
If you can't be lazy, then why be alive?
Exactly.
You know what I'm saying?
Exactly.
Exactly.
I just have to take a minute, man.
You're 100% right.
You know, I'm 14 years old.
If I don't take time to be a kid, how will I be a kid?
Wise words.
Put that on a shirt, dude.
Swear.
Put that, yeah.
Tattoo that on somebody's.
That'll be my first tattoo.
Yeah, man.
Yeah, I think sometimes because things can happen so things get going so fast.
Yeah.
What about at school?
Can you still go to school or what's that kind of like?
Nah, it's crazy, bro.
So were you going to school?
I was.
I was.
Yeah.
And then I was.
And what classes were you in?
Were you in?
No, I had like all the core classes.
You know what I'm saying?
Like, you know, English, math.
I hated English, bro.
You did?
I'm just going to give it a bug, bro.
I was not good.
I was cooked.
Like, I literally speak it pretty well.
No, I know.
I'm trying, bro, but like, they be doing some like non-English English.
You know what I'm saying?
Like, who cares if I can diagram eight sentences in a minute?
You know what I'm saying?
And then I get a D. And I'm just like, you know what I'm saying?
I don't need to do all that.
I'm talking pretty fast.
Yeah, the guy's good.
I think they should ask your friends, can this guy speak English or not?
Yeah, exactly.
That's the final, final exam.
Can you say a sentence?
And then if you can't, bro.
Okay, you still get a C. You still get a C. Yeah.
You'll still make it.
So you have to, yeah.
So what happened over there?
So did you have to just take a break from it?
No, I'm homeschooled now.
Oh, you are?
I'm straight up homeschooled.
I got taken out, yeah.
But it was just for my career.
And I just, I, you know, I just wanted to, you know, it's just something I felt like was the right decision to do.
And just, you know, I'm just, I'm ready for it, bro.
I'm just, I'm very excited about my career, and that's why I did it.
Yeah.
I just want to.
And is your, does your mom teach you at home?
Yeah.
Yeah.
She's a homeschool.
She's pretty smart, bro.
She don't give herself credit, but, dude, she's, once again, dialed in.
She's dialed in on this teaching.
Some teachers aren't that good.
No.
No, I actually had one.
You did?
I can't, I can't.
Yeah.
Name her Miss Rugg.
Okay.
Shout out to the rug below me.
Name her Miss Rug.
And Miss Rugg, dude, she was strange.
Like, she wouldn't teach us.
I'm just going to throw that out there.
She did not teach us at all.
She would just like, hey, do this.
And if we didn't do it, we get like an F. And we're just like, bruh, you know, get up here and teach us, bro.
And she was strange, too.
No, there's teachers sometimes that it's like, yeah, they don't even, like, we had a woman that would keep like little, she would do like little positive notes.
And she had like a hair bun, like a big bun on her hair.
And she would put these little positive notes into her hair.
And you'd have to come up during a certain part of class and pick one out and read it to the class or whatever.
Yeah, that's weird.
Yeah.
She was kind of like a wizard's wife or whatever.
Yeah, I don't think I've ever had that weird of a teacher.
Yeah.
This lady was bananas, dude.
And we had a lady that would eat frozen yogurt all day in her class.
All day.
And so she would like keep going to the teacher's lounge or whatever.
Yeah.
And getting just more and more and more frozen yogurt.
And just keep having it.
Just frozen yogurt.
You want some.
Yeah, you're just like, yo, give me some.
Yeah.
Fiends.
Fiends.
A lot of times.
Not the frozen yogurt guy, bro.
You're not a frozen yogurt guy?
Give me some ice cream.
Yeah.
Big cow guy, not whatever frozen yogurt coming out of.
Dude, probably cows, too.
I don't know.
I doubt it.
Yeah, I doubt it.
And if they start pulling yogurt out of something, I'm out of here.
Exactly.
Like, my nano be coming up to me, yo, Max, you want a yogurt cup?
And I'm like, nah, I'm not trying to eat that, bro.
Give me a popsicle.
Like, no.
See, here's the difference.
Frozen yogurt versus ice cream.
Cream, ice cream, tends to have a higher fat content while frozen yogurt contains more sugar to hide its tangier taste.
Oh, wow.
Well, frozen yogurt, it's just like, it's like, it's like Adidas.
Ice cream is Nike.
That's a good way to put it.
Like ice cream, Jordan.
It's the goat.
Frozen yogurt's like Charles Barkley.
You know what I'm saying?
Oh, yeah.
I feel you 100%, man.
Do you, yeah, like when you think about music next, like, what does it kind of look like for you?
Because you have your song right now, Tears in a River, that people are really gay.
Yes, sir.
Make sure y'all go stream it, by the way.
I see you playing it for people and it's playing it for like people that are really big fans of yours and stuff like that.
Exactly.
It's real special, man.
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
And so what is that?
Yeah, because how do you put an album together now?
So you just start creating new songs.
Nah, man, bro, I probably got like 30 songs.
Really?
Like, just in the vault.
Uh-uh.
Not even recorded, just written out.
You've written.
Yeah.
My dad's a writer, too.
Wrote for the newspaper.
He did?
Yeah.
Fun fact.
Fun fact.
This guy cannot spell.
My dad cannot spell worth a lick.
And he wouldn't like read after he wrote them.
And then he would publish them.
My mom's reading it and just like, Dan, bro, eight misspells today.
Your dad's got freaking read-a-beating, it sounds like.
Read a beating.
He's got glasses, bro.
He's cross-eyed.
You'll be looking at him, and then he's like, looking over here, and you're just like, dude, where are you at?
That's awesome.
He probably couldn't see the words.
Oh, yeah.
Half my page is cross-eyed, dude.
It's awesome.
Nice, nice.
Oh, it gets pretty crazy.
Yeah, you'll be looking at him.
You're just like, dude, are you popping?
But love dad, though.
Oh, yeah.
You know, good writing.
Good music.
Yeah.
Shout out, Dan.
Shout out Dan.
Shout out Dan.
Exactly.
But yeah, he's written a lot of songs.
He actually did what I'm doing 30 years ago.
Really?
Oh, wow.
Since like 18, 19, moved to Nashville, yeah.
Yeah.
It's almost like this has been in your genes kind of too.
Exactly.
Yes, sir.
He was like, he introduced me to music when I was a kid.
He did.
Yes, sir.
Wow.
Yeah.
Grew up on it.
Do you remember like the first show y'all ever went to?
First show, I think I remember.
I went to a bluegrass festival, bro.
He played bluegrass.
He's like, he won the picker.
Yeah, exactly.
He won the Mandolin National Championship back in 92, bro.
Your father did?
Yep.
Shout out Dan Bats.
Exactly, bro.
Name on a plaque and everything.
If you know Bill Monroe is, yeah, yeah, I know Bill Monroe.
Yeah, he played with him.
He played with him like three times.
It's crazy.
Yeah, Dan's the man.
Dan the man.
Dude, so Dan's was pretty prolific, Dan.
He did sound like he did a good bit.
Exactly, bro.
He was famous in the bluegrass industry, and then he fell off after age 13. So, you know, short-lived career.
Age 13?
Bro, started smoking at 13. That'll do it.
Yeah, things can go downhill fast.
Exactly.
Yeah, we just had a guy Billy Strings in here, and he's a great.
He's sick.
He's sick, man.
And so that was really, it was really cool to talk with him and learn about what he likes to do.
I went fishing with him this weekend.
Yeah, so you're a big fisherman.
It's fun, man.
I like going.
It's just like, I wish I had more time to go sometimes because of doing comedy and stuff.
I'm on the road, but I'm going to try to keep making more time.
Yeah, fishing's fun.
I'm a big hunting guy.
Really?
I like hunting with my papa.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So who's at your grandfather?
Yeah.
Nice.
And then Papa, man.
Are they cool?
Yeah.
They're pretty cool.
Where do they live at?
I was talking about this farm earlier.
I used to live on a farm, like about an hour north of here.
Yeah, I live on that farm until I was seven.
Then I moved to Bama.
Okay.
We live for real right next to each other.
Like, like within like a meet of you.
Dang.
Yeah.
Pretty crazy.
That's beautiful, man.
Exactly, man.
And how do your grandparents feel about your new at first?
They were like pretty skeptical because, you know, their grandparents, they're not going to like, you know.
Yeah, they're skeptical.
And they should be.
Exactly.
That's what we expected.
That's what we expected out of Nan and Papa, right?
And then.
Oh, my God.
Joke.
Yeah, that's exactly what we expected out of them.
Exactly.
And then a couple months down the road, they start seeing that it's like the people I'm working with more trustworthy.
They met the people I'm working with today.
Yeah, like literally today.
Oh, yeah.
So they started feeling better about it.
Yeah, and they're like, oh, okay, he's not like, you know, you know, like.
Yeah, they're not out here selling your soul, you know?
Yeah, and they, and, you know, they, they figured that out after the fact that I was just literally just singing music.
Right.
And they're like, oh, you know what I'm saying?
Well, I think it's popularity that scares people, you know?
Yeah.
Fame can be real scary.
Exactly.
Fame can be scary.
Are there parts of being popular that feel scary to you?
Are there parts that it just feels like you're just learning the ropes or what is it like?
Yeah, people asking me for money.
And I'm like, dog, I don't have money.
You know what I'm saying?
Like, I make TikToks, bro.
I make music.
I ain't got my paychecks in.
I'm 14. I can't even get paychecks.
My parents get those.
And they're like, yo, Matt, slow me a 20. And I'm like, I don't have 20. Yeah, you're like, stop trying to exploit me, Dan.
Dad does not do that, by the way.
Great dad, by the way.
Dad is a great guy, dude.
He was a Mandolin champion, too, I think in 90. 92. 92. I think.
I don't know.
I have to fact check 92. He was great back then, dude.
Yeah.
He was a legend, too.
He was a high school wrestler, too, wasn't he?
No.
He wasn't?
No.
Oh, I thought you told me that he was.
Nah, he played ball, basketball.
Oh, he played basketball?
Yeah, that's where I got it from.
Yeah.
And then you lost it, though.
Yeah, and then I lost it.
Whole dreams crushed.
But then after that, I was like, yo, am I really going to make it to the league?
You know, you just have to accept that at a point.
And I said this on one of my videos, bro.
I've heard it's like two inches, especially with Osgood over there.
Like, he's restricting me.
Oh, no.
Turn this off, bro.
Ain't no way.
Yeah.
This feels illegal to watch.
I don't even think I can watch this on YouTube.
Oh, here you go right here, dude.
Oh, cutback.
Dude, no way we're watching this.
Money in the bank.
I'm a lefty.
Wow.
At 45 in a game, bro.
Did you really?
Yes.
I'm not even counting.
That's an AAU team.
Fun fact, I was the only white kid on that team.
Really?
Yep.
Fun fact, I believe that.
Bro, that's a sick pass right there.
I know.
I'm dialing.
Jason Williams is my favorite player.
Is he?
Yeah.
Wow.
Yeah.
J. Will.
White chocolate, bro.
Yeah.
He's a man.
Oh, that's incredible.
If you see him, I'm number 55 on most teams.
That's where I got it from.
Nah.
That was him, bro.
Look at me.
Dang.
I'm out of 4'2, dude.
I'm cooking these kids.
Dude, you see a little Sally?
I said, hey, tell me Curry.
The chef is home.
I was a fanboy.
I'm not going to lie.
I was a Curry fanboy.
You were?
Yeah.
But my dad would never let me buy his shoes because he didn't want me to be like everyone else.
So I never had any Curries, but I was definitely a fanboy.
Hey, so watch the highlights up.
Curry's so special.
Curry's the man, bro.
What about musically?
Do you have some of your heroes kind of or what does that look like for you?
Yeah, yeah.
So really, honestly and truly, it's my dad.
Like because he does music and it's just something I can relate to so well.
And I just, I know him.
He's my dad, right?
So he's just really been my hero throughout this entire thing.
My dad and mom, really, you know, because they both do music.
But like, other than that, like, Wyatt Flores.
Wyatt Flores, he does, like, he does country music.
He does?
I'm not familiar with him.
Yeah, he's pretty sad.
Wyatt Flores.
Bring him up.
Yeah, you need to get him, bro, bro.
He's fire.
He's fire.
He's straight Flores.
Wow.
Yeah, that's him right there.
Come check him out.
He's alright.
But I like the old guys too.
Keith Whitley.
The man.
The man.
Yuki look like him too.
To compare Keith Whitley?
Yeah.
Bring him up.
La mullet.
If you had a curly mullet, dude, twins.
And it was a deer.
I didn't realize it was that curly there, Keith.
Calm it down there, bud.
It's like the definition of an 80s American.
Oh, Keith.
And look at Keith.
Oh, Keith's meeting a lady right there, too.
So let's don't act like Keith's hair didn't do its job.
Exactly, bro.
He was dialed in.
Look at him on the left with that pink shirt on.
Oh, yeah, Keith.
What a beast.
Keith is ready.
Keith is dialing.
Yeah, Keith is ready for another wedding.
I'll say that.
What about the split that video when I used to sing at the church?
See if you can pull that one up.
Yeah.
No way.
Yeah, brother.
I used to let the Lord just use me like a little violin, brother.
Nice.
Like a little baby bird.
You feel me?
Like a little parody.
Love it up, baby.
Yeah, that's right here.
You'll see.
The old mom.
Okay.
That's you.
He's like Troy Bolton.
They only offered...
Okay.
Here I am, right here, brother.
Now that's some Keith Whitley, huh?
You're a singer?
Yeah.
Yo, I didn't even know that.
Hey, in the house of the Lord, everybody's a singer, brother.
Praise God, dude.
Okay, that's good, bro.
We're giving you the gift of singing.
That's all he wants.
Wow.
Just warming up the chords for the Lord, baby.
Exactly.
Dude, I sang in church back in the day.
I don't think there's any videos of it, but yeah, most definitely did, bro.
I actually like, funny story.
I was doing a wax museum at my school.
You know what those are?
Where you're like, tap the button, you have to be someone.
I was JFK.
Okay.
And my teacher.
Everything to make a kid be a little bit.
Yeah, but he was, you know.
It started off good, friends.
Yeah, exactly.
Exactly.
And then he was like, my teacher was like, yo, no one spend any money on this.
Don't go overboard.
My parents bought me a Brooks brother suit and tie.
And I was, dude, if we all had the video, bro, this is fire.
Like, I knew every word.
Like, born Massachusetts, like, I was dialed in.
For JFK?
For JFK.
Wow.
Yeah.
I didn't reenact it, though.
You didn't?
No.
That's good.
Yeah.
I think, yeah, you got to stay within certain bounds, you know.
Second grade, my acting skills.
And I don't think we have the budget for that either.
Yeah.
Nah, my acting skills weren't there yet.
Yeah, I don't think anybody's acting skills need to be there for the end of JFK, bro.
No.
Wow, you're crazy.
Hopefully not.
Hopefully not.
You got to get some help, but do you miss being at school?
Is it kind of weird sometimes?
You don't?
Nah, nah.
Because it's crazy watching a 14-year-old, do you miss being at school?
Yeah, no.
I mean, yeah, you would expect me to say no, but there's good reasons because honestly, I wasn't good at school.
I mean, I was, but then I low-key fell off.
I don't know what happened, but I went from a 93 in English to like a 60. Oh, wow.
I fell off, bro.
It's like Jordan.
I mean, Jordan after he left the Bulls.
That's what I felt like.
You know what I'm saying?
Yeah.
I still cheered for him.
Yeah.
He was the man.
I wasn't alive, but I still tuned in, though.
I don't listen at all.
You don't?
I'm trying to think of what else were some things we were going to talk about.
Anything else that we wanted to look at?
I'd like to know who you consider locked in and not locked in.
You like that word.
Who's locked in right now?
Yeah, or guess who's locked in on your playlist, man?
What do you mean?
I guess we talked about some artists that you like.
Yeah.
Do you think you would maybe go on because you have to come out with more music?
Because right now you have how many songs out one?
Wow.
Singular.
Yeah.
Singular.
Yeah.
Because people kept tagging us in videos together.
They'd be like, you guys, this guy reminds me of you.
Yeah, exactly.
Especially after the suit one, bro.
I was getting mad, Theoba in comments.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I was like, yo, for real.
And then he followed me and I was like, yo, I was actually in the studio and I ran around the studio.
Really slowly.
Yeah.
All right.
Yeah.
My 40 times like 40. It's still hot.
Yeah, yeah.
But, you know, I was like, you ran the best of your ability around the studio.
Exactly, exactly.
Yeah.
Well, thanks, bro.
Yeah, dude.
Yeah, I just, yeah, people were like, this guy's, it reminds me of you maybe when you was a kid.
And I was like, I definitely remember getting ready for a dance, you know?
And I would just be so nervous.
My back would always just, I would see the girls and I would just like, and my back would start sweating.
And then I would have to just go stand in the bathroom for a while.
Yeah, yeah.
So, yeah, because you must have women just throwing rocks at your window at night.
Yeah, dude, it's pretty weird.
I'm not going to lie.
Like, yeah, I got it at the beginning.
I was like, yeah, this is normal.
But then eventually, like, I was starting getting like a lot.
If I had a P.O. box, bro, I'm cooked.
But I don't.
But like, if I did, I'm done.
I don't think you can legally have one either.
No, my dad can.
Put it under his name.
Yeah, get it, Dan.
Yeah, get it.
Just read over there, just reading mail from children all day.
Pretty weird messages, probably.
But do people make you some nice things?
Yeah, they be drawing me and stuff.
I'm like, y'all, thank y'all.
Thank y'all.
I'll be seeing on the videos, like, I saw this video yesterday.
This girl was like crying.
She was like crying.
I put her on my story.
That was it.
And she just busted out in tears.
Her mom was filming.
I was like, yo, that's what I do it for, bro.
Oh, it made her day, huh?
Exactly, man.
I do it for the fans.
That's like, that's the main reason.
Oh, yeah.
I saw you stop by a woman's house and play some music for her.
Yes, sir.
It was a very fun experience.
It was actually my first time doing that, like, meeting fans and playing my songs.
It's before it came out.
Shout out, Miss Hannah.
Yeah, what's up, Miss Hannah?
Yeah, thanks.
Was that nerve-wracking, kind of?
Yes, sir.
It was, honestly.
I mean, I don't get nervous a whole lot, but I like when I'm around my fans, I do.
Because once again, it's just like they're the reason I'm here.
They're the reason I'm talking to you.
They're the reason I put out music.
So, yeah.
Yeah, what do you think, people?
It is.
I mean, I think, let me think about it.
I think, for one, you're definitely funny.
I realize that even more sitting here with you.
Thank you, man.
Appreciate it.
Yeah, great energy.
And I think, like, moments like with a dance or with like talking to a young lady, like, those are things that a lot of people can relate to.
Exactly.
Like, when you were getting ready for the dance, even if you weren't going, it took me back to all the moments like, oh, dude, I was at home.
I didn't even have anybody to go with.
And I'm like, I'm just, because then you get there and you're like, oh, it's just my same lady.
Yes.
But we just all smell better than that.
We all put on the yodor and axe.
Yeah, yeah.
Oh, axe had come out hot, dude.
And people were doing all, people were drinking it.
People were doing all kinds of stuff.
People were.
Drinking axe is devious work.
I'm not going to lie.
Do we do an we be doing axe bombs at my school?
We open up the vlogger and like, throw it in.
And then they open it and they're like cooked.
All their papers are like drenched.
Everything they tear in smells like axe.
Like, gosh.
This D-Maus is wearing deodorant.
That seems a little wild.
Yeah.
Dude.
At homeschool, do you get grades or what do you even?
No.
I just be like, I can like, if I do it through a like actual homeschool system, I'll get like grades and stuff.
But like right now, till the end of the school year, I'm doing it with my mom.
I'm just like doing it with my mom.
I'm trying to learn everything.
And you can like see.
Because I'm a little behind.
You know what I'm saying?
I missed like 30 days in the last nine weeks.
So you're going to be going to summer school at home?
Yeah, I'm cooked, dude.
But like summer break starts whenever I want summer's break to start, you know, I'm dialed in.
Okay.
So you get to help set the curriculum.
Yeah, exactly.
Okay.
Exactly.
But still, you got to finish it all, right?
And is your mom, like, do you have to call her Miss Batson?
No.
Okay.
I mean, I haven't taken it that far.
I mean, I could, but like, you know.
I would.
Yeah.
I mean, I would set the parameters.
Like, if your mom was, if your mom was teaching, you'd call her Miss Vaughn.
Yeah.
No, you wouldn't.
From 9 to 2 p.m., from 9 a.m.
to 2 p.m., you're Miss Vaughn.
And if you get out of line, I'm calling the school board.
Who's the school board?
Miss Vaughn?
Vaughn?
Her?
Like, she's the only grandma of somebody.
He had dad.
Yeah, I feel like if you get out of line, you can paddle out, bro.
Yeah, that's what I'm doing.
Dude, they used to paddle us when I was in school, bro.
Yeah, that's not allowed anymore.
I'm not going to lie.
You think it should bring it back?
You know, with some of the, this is a topic that's crazy.
I'm not going to lie.
With some of the kids in my school, yes.
With me, no.
Yeah.
I don't need all that.
I'd probably start crying in front of the girls and my whole social life ruined.
Your whole Stila would be gone, huh?
But also, since you're out of school now, yeah, they should have it there.
No.
I'm not going to.
No.
But you don't have to deal with it?
Oh, oh, like at school still?
Yeah, yeah.
Since I'm not there, yeah, sure.
Do whatever you want.
Like, I'm not there.
You know?
Yeah, I think that this should definitely start really beating some kids.
No, this is not allowed.
And that's on, yeah, and that's not what we're talking about today.
So what else do you think about, man?
At your age, what are some things that you think about right now?
Like, what keeps you excited every day?
What do you like to do?
Are you hobbies?
Give me a little bit more.
I just want to know a little bit more about Maddox Bats and whatever.
Yeah, yeah.
Get out of here.
You know, women.
I'm just going to keep it a buck fit.
Like them and then everything else.
Women above music.
Yeah.
You know?
Wow.
Sorry.
You remind me of Morgan Wall, actually.
That was his answer.
Minnie Morgan, bro.
Morgan Bieber.
Is it hard to stay focused then?
Yes.
Yeah.
People want to hear what you're going to do next.
Yeah, exactly.
It is true, huh?
I guess there becomes a point because this doesn't happen for comedians.
So for musicians, you put out something, people get intrigued by it, and then they're like, yeah, what are you going to do next?
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
It's crazy.
Wow.
So do you feel some pressure with that or not really?
Not really.
I try to not think about it.
You know what I'm saying?
So I just try, when the moment comes, I'll think about it.
And when I put out my song, I'll think about it.
But like, right after I put the song out, I'm not like, oh, when's my next song?
You know what I'm saying?
If that makes sense, I don't know.
Yeah, I think so.
So in the meantime, what else do you do to kind of take up your time?
I'm a big gamer, bro.
You are?
Yeah, dude.
You like games?
I play Zelda right now on Switch.
That's where I'm at.
That's a pretty weird game, not going to lie, dude.
Yeah.
You know, you're a weird guy, so I feel like, No, I believe you.
Yeah, yeah.
You know what I'm saying?
So Zelda fits you.
Once again, he looks like Zelda.
He's had three resemblances since I've met him.
Yeah.
Elon Musk, Zelda, and Keith Whitley.
Pretty broad.
Wait, no, no.
Not Zelda, like the girl, but like the other main character.
What's his name?
Oh, Link.
Link is a little too easy.
So we don't know when the new music's going to happen, but we know it's on the way.
Yes, sir.
It is most definitely on the way.
Yes, sir.
Been working.
Been working pretty hard with some pretty cool people, so I'm very excited for what's to come.
Yes, sir.
And what about some new dance?
We're going to see you getting ready for any more dances.
We got to see another get ready video at some point.
What's the next year rather than me?
You know what I'm saying?
That's a good point.
You know what I'm singing?
Huh?
Me and you getting ready.
Getting ready for what?
I don't know.
Just getting ready to go on the podcast.
But we already are on it.
No, I know.
But the fans don't know that.
Cut that out.
You would go back in time.
Yeah, exactly.
That's what you got to do sometimes.
You know what?
I would be ready.
You know what I would do?
I wonder if I would do a reenactment of your get-ready video.
Have people done a lot of those?
A couple.
I've actually seen a couple people doing stuff after me, which I take pride in.
I like that I impact people like that.
It's pretty cool.
Yeah, but it's fun.
I think it's exciting to be there because people, I think then next time you're getting ready and even if you're just getting ready for work or whatever, or school or whatever, you're kind of like you know, you're kind of doing the Maddox bats where you're kind of like having a little more fun than usual.
Yeah, I see, like, what it really inspired me to do.
My dad actually, my dad thought it stupid when I was like, yo, dad, because I was only doing like covers at the time.
I was like, yo, dad, let me do these, get ready with me.
She's like, what?
That's, that's stupid.
And I was like, nah, bro, trust, trust.
And he did.
And I'm like, let's go, Dan.
The man?
You know, he finally locked in.
Someone pulled it up.
Someone pulled up one of my get ready with me.
He's just started playing up.
They did?
Yeah.
It's probably Dan who works here.
I know.
Probably him.
I forgot it.
I met him downstairs.
Yeah, nice guy, Ben.
Ben.
What about Ben Jumin?
Yeah.
Ben Jumin.
You feel me?
Dude, why don't...
Yeah, I would do a...
Or what if you just go take a ride?
I did get a, I got a cyber truck, right?
Yeah.
So I wonder if you would, maybe we could take a ride.
You could probably drive it if you want.
Let's drive it, bro.
You can drive, right?
I feel like it'd be like a video game.
Okay.
Yeah, if you play video games, you could definitely do it.
Exactly.
If I play like, yeah, I crash a lot, though.
You do?
Yeah.
I think you can hit stuff with it.
I mean, it's pretty daggum sharp, and it looks pretty sturdy.
Yeah.
I think you could do it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Can you do it?
Yep.
Nice.
Nice.
Okay.
It sounds like you're kidding me.
Maddox, thanks for coming in, man.
I'm just glad to get to meet you, bro.
Thanks for making me laugh.
I appreciate it.
Yeah, I'm excited about your adventure because I think it's real interesting.
You're like at this place where it's like, well, how do I, like, what happens now, you know?
Yeah.
Just an interesting place in your life, you know?
What are some of your hopes, you think, when you look at that?
My hope, just over the course of my career, my music career, is just to make people, you know, happy, you know, just for them to enjoy my music throughout my career and just put out stuff that I want to do.
Just keep my integrity intact, you know, stuff like that.
You know, keep myself financially stable, my family, and stuff like that.
I'd like to win a Grammy.
Dang, really?
That'd be sick, wouldn't it?
Winning a Grammy, wouldn't that be awesome?
You won one?
No, I didn't.
Jellyroll.
Did he win one?
No, he was nominated.
He should have won?
He should have won.
If he didn't, he should have.
No, he won.
Jelly Roll's a man, bro.
No.
He sat right in the street.
Did he win or not?
No, he got nominated.
He is two?
He was nominated for two.
Whoa.
He walked away empty-handed, BS.
I know.
It's kind of like Morgan, bro.
What are they doing with that, bro?
What's those industries, man?
I know.
It's not real.
Exactly.
It's not real.
Scripted.
But what is real is meeting children off a TikTok, dude.
That's what I'm talking about.
Real right now.
Yes, sir.
All right, Maddox Matson, thanks so much, bro.
Nice to meet you.
Let's get a ride in the truck, bro.
Now, I'm just falling on the breeze.
And I feel I'm falling like these leaves.
I must be cornerstone.
But when I reach that ground, I'll share this piece of mind.
