The most important things that Ali Gatie asks for in his tour rider are snacks that curb anxiety — and he's got some very specific, slightly unusual food items in mind. 

In this episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas, Gatie reveals that breath mints are high on the list of things he reaches for on a daily basis, and not just when he's backstage at shows. "Peppermint mints are a must, anywhere I go. Whether it's on tour, the video shoot, anywhere," he says, adding that really anything chewable will do.

"For some reason, it just kind of relaxes me. I think it's an anxiety thing," he posits, explaining that calming stage nerves is a big part of his tour rider requests in general. Along with mints, he reveals that hot dog buns — yes, without any hot dogs in them — can go a long way towards soothing stage jitters. 

"A very weird one," Gatie admits. But according to the singer/songwriter, there's a method behind the odd request. "Sometimes I feel sick or nauseous, especially, like, early morning. I want something that's really easy to digest, and hot dog buns, they're just easy to pick up. You can have a little piece, the whole thing. You can be very smart with how you eat it. You don't have to finish it. You can put it away easily."

Or, he continues, you can dress it up into an equally unconventional sandwich. "I eat boiled eggs, but I put them in hot dog [buns]," Gatie elaborates. "I even sometimes eat burgers in hot dog buns. I'll cut the burger in half. It's very weird. Don't know why. It's one of those things. I think it's a comfort thing."

Nevertheless, it keeps him going when he's on the road, and helps him enjoy his favorite part of touring: The gratification of seeing fans who love his music, especially the songs that might not be as popular as his 2019 hit "It's You" or 2021's "What If I Told You That I Love You."

"People have sung the songs, and that makes me feel like, 'Damn, this song maybe didn't do as well to the world, but 1,000 people showed up and sang every lyric,'" he reflects. "That is the most fulfilling feeling I've ever experienced, and there's no amount of money, there's no amount of fame that could compare to the feeling of touching even one person's heart."

You can catch Gatie on the road starting Sept. 28, when he kicks off his Who Hurt You? Tour in Copenhagen, Denmark. The 42-date trek is in support of his forthcoming album, Who Hurt You?, due Aug. 12; Gatie recently announced the LP along with its lead single, "Can’t Give Up."   

Press play on the video above to get to know more about Gatie's quirks and favorite memories on the road, and keep checking back to GRAMMY.com for more episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

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Updated Friday Oct. 13, 2023 to include info about Kendrick Lamar's most recent GRAMMY wins, as of the 2023 GRAMMYs.

A GRAMMY veteran these days, Kendrick Lamar has won 17 GRAMMYs and has received 47 GRAMMY nominations overall. A sizable chunk of his trophies came from the 58th annual GRAMMY Awards in 2016, when he walked away with five — including his first-ever win in the Best Rap Album category.

This installment of GRAMMY Rewind turns back the clock to 2016, revisiting Lamar's acceptance speech upon winning Best Rap Album for To Pimp A Butterfly. Though Lamar was alone on stage, he made it clear that he wouldn't be at the top of his game without the help of a broad support system. 

"First off, all glory to God, that's for sure," he said, kicking off a speech that went on to thank his parents, who he described as his "those who gave me the responsibility of knowing, of accepting the good with the bad."

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He also extended his love and gratitude to his fiancée, Whitney Alford, and shouted out his Top Dawg Entertainment labelmates. Lamar specifically praised Top Dawg's CEO, Anthony Tiffith, for finding and developing raw talent that might not otherwise get the chance to pursue their musical dreams.

"We'd never forget that: Taking these kids out of the projects, out of Compton, and putting them right here on this stage, to be the best that they can be," Lamar — a Compton native himself — continued, leading into an impassioned conclusion spotlighting some of the cornerstone rap albums that came before To Pimp a Butterfly.

"Hip-hop. Ice Cube. This is for hip-hop," he said. "This is for Snoop Dogg, Doggystyle. This is for Illmatic, this is for Nas. We will live forever. Believe that."

To Pimp a Butterfly singles "Alright" and "These Walls" earned Lamar three more GRAMMYs that night, the former winning Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song and the latter taking Best Rap/Sung Collaboration (the song features Bilal, Anna Wise and Thundercat). He also won Best Music Video for the remix of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood." 

Lamar has since won Best Rap Album two more times, taking home the golden gramophone in 2018 for his blockbuster LP DAMN., and in 2023 for his bold fifth album, Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.

Watch Lamar's full acceptance speech above, and check back at GRAMMY.com every Friday for more GRAMMY Rewind episodes. 

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If there is one thing That Mexican OT will do while on tour, it's stay hydrated. But not necessarily with water — he prefers an ice-cold glass of Mexican Coca-Cola.

"This bad mama jama right here is a go-to for sure," he says in the latest episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. "A big part of me loving this is the Mexican heritage, but it also goes down perfectly."

Compared to American Coke, he says the Mexican version has a better taste because it uses natural cane sugar and no high fructose corn syrup.

When That Mexican OT wants something healthier, he opts for cranberry juice. "It's good for your kidneys," he shares. "Those antioxidants will keep you clean and running good, baby."

In his dream world, he would love to have a giant water slide in every green room. "I'm talking about a 20 to 40-footer," he quips with a smile. "Something simple. Easy to hit those dips."

You can catch That Mexican OT live on the Lonestar Luchador Tour through the United States, which ends on Oct. 4 in Oakland, California.

Press play on the video above to learn more about That Mexican OT's two favorite drinks to have while on tour, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

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While many artists might ask for healthy foods and tea on their tour rider, Thai-American musician DABOYWAY unapologetically requests three specific confections: red wine, Sour Patch Kids, and a cinnamon-scented candle.

"The red wine has to be from Chile," he says in the latest episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. He doesn't care which brand it is, but as long as it's Chilean, he's happy, because it's never done him wrong.

The rapper loves Sour Patch Kids because they remind him of his childhood. "I've eaten so many Sour Patch Kids at one time that the whole side of my mouth hurts from eating all that sourness ... If anyone wants to win my heart, bring me a bag of Sour Patch Kids," he reveals.

DABOYWAY says cinnamon is hard to find in Thailand, but that makes it all the more special when he can get his hands on it. He says it reminds him of home and his favorite time of the year: football season. And he always appreciates that it makes "the room smell nice before I get on stage."

Press play to learn more about DABOYWAY's favorite items to have on tour, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

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If there's one thing Irish singer Dermot Kennedy will always make sure of on tour, it's that he'll have a selection of "extremely boring" healthy foods on his rider.

"Veggies, green juice, all that stuff," Kennedy says in this episode of Herbal Tea & White Sofas. "For my voice, I've got manuka honey, ginger, and lemon, and that's something I'm drinking all day." In fact, he's had honey and lemon so much that he says has PTSD from the flavors.

Thankfully, he's got one guilty pleasure that gives him a break from his clean eating — Irish whiskey, which he calls "non-negotiable" and "the most exciting thing on his rider."

When Kennedy actually hits the stage, one of the most important items is a mug of affirmations he wrote. "I am the best. This is easy. I sing like a bird. My breath is limitless," the cup reads. "if you're having a difficult show, it's a reassuring thing to see on the side of the mug."

No matter the size or location of the performance, Kennedy sees each one with equal importance. "There could be a 17-year-old version of yourself who's going to be inspired to [make music] themselves ... I like to believe those are the type of people who have been attracted to my music, too, so there's just this very real relationship there," he explains. 

Kennedy has been on tour all year in support of his sophomore album, Sonder; in June, he issued an extended 2023 edition that features his latest single, "Don't Forget Me." He’ll perform at a few festivals in Europe to close out the summer before heading to Canada in October, and will wrap his world tour in New Zealand and Australia in November and December.

Press play on the video above to learn more about Dermot Kennedy's relationship with live music, and check back to GRAMMY.com for more new episodes of Herbal Tea & White Sofas.

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