Ab-Soul lives like his music. The self-proclaimed “hippiest” of Black Hippy stopped by Power 105’s Breakfast Club the week of his These Days… release to discuss some non-musical issues. The Carson, California native confirmed a relationship with fellow guest, model Yaris Sanchez. However, aside from gossip and juicy innuendo, the star MC had plenty to say.

Pressed about why his last two albums have not carried the Interscope Records logo (or machine behind them), Soulo stressed that while label-mates Kendrick Lamar and ScHoolboy Q are inked to the major, he is not. Maintaining that he’s regularly Interscope’s Santa Monica property, and tight with reigning ‘Scope savior Dr. Dre, Soulo declares that he’s in good hands without the backing throughout the 1-2-minute mark. Following These Days…, think the label will try to approach the veteran MC with an offer to bring him into the machine?

What’s perhaps most interesting to novice (and even veteran Ab fans may not know this) is the MC admits that his “Black Lip Pastor” moniker has nothing to do with smoking. Instead, Soulo is living with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a disease that affects his skin and eyesight. Ab admits that his penchant for sunglasses has more to do with necessity than fashion, and how he was teased as a youth. Throughout the seven-minute-mark and beyond, the Black Hippy member opens up, and even reveals that he is deeply thankful to be around, given a one-in-four death-rate associated with the syndrome in the ’90s and early 2000s.

At the 11-minute mark, Charlamagne Tha God asks Ab if he regularly had to defend himself. While Soulo admits he’s “rumbled” being from the streets, the candid lyricist admits that he’s never been in a real, actual fight. Given Soulo’s music and honesty, that’s safe for him to admit. This is an insightful interview surrounding one of the most talked about artists this week:

Related: These Days… Ab-Soul Is Aiming For Album Of 2014 Status (Album Stream)