"Sounds like a shoe store" — Hot 97’s Funkmaster Flex says he doesn't like Tommy Richman’s Million Dollar Baby

DJ Funkmaster Flex recently shared his candid thoughts on Tommy Richman's Million Dollar Baby. During his time on New York City's Hot 97 radio station, Flex described the song as sounding "like a shoe store," and calling those who like it "clowns."

He added:

"If you’re someone that likes this song, you are a clown. This song… I don’t know what the rest of his songs sound like. I don’t even know who Tommy Richman is. Sounds like a shoe store. Now we’re gonna document this hot garbage. We’re gonna play it now, I know you want to hear it. I wonder if this is big in the club."

Funkmaster further mentioned that while one part of the song is "deceiving" and makes it sound like a good part, the "terrible part" follows soon after. He continued:

"See this part is deceiving like it might be a good song. Watch the terrible part as it comes in… where you hear the tin can drums."

When the song played for the second time on the radio show, Flex turned it off and said he would like to play something that would bring the listeners back from the "depths of hell and "depths of garbage." He also claimed that the track sounded like it was "made on a casino machine."

In the end, Funkmaster Flex acknowledged the popularity of the song and admitted that he had "aged out" for not being able to appreciate it.

Million Dollar Baby is arguably Tommy Richman's biggest hit to date. The track peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in May 2024, only second to Kendrick Lamar's Not Like Us.

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Funkmaster Flex has been working as a DJ at Hot 97 for over two decades

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Funkmaster Flex is widely considered an icon in the hip-hop community who has been working at Hot 97 for over two decades. He began his career as a DJ at the age of 16 by working in clubs across New York City. Currently, he entertains around 8000 clubgoers per week on average, as per Hot 97's official website.

The popular DJ began his career as a radio jockey on KISS FM before working briefly for WBLS. Flex joined Hot 97 in 1992 when it was still a pop radio station. After joining, Funkmaster Flex began rapping and mixing while hosting his own show. Hot 97 became the first pop radio station in New York City to feature rap.

Funkmaster Flex has been hosting and rapping on Hot 97 radio station since then and is best known for his iconic "bomb-dropping" sound effects in records. The Hot 97 website also details Flex's other interests apart from hip-hop.

Flex also runs a lifestyle and music website, InFlexWeTrust.com, which garners over three million views per month, as per Hot 97's website. The website also notes that Funkmaster Flex's smartphone app has over 500,000 downloads. The app provides users with daily mixes and instrumentals.

Additionally, the DJ recently collaborated with Simon & Schuster for a new book on rapper Notorious B.I.G. He also partnered with Beats by Dre to launch his own edition of headphones.

Funkmaster Flex is the founding member of LitDigitalDJs, a DJ crew comprising DJ Khaled, DJ Mustard, DJ Vashtie, and Swizz Beatz. He was also featured in season 2, episode 8 of the Fox TV series Empire.