Rappers Problem and Bad Lucc of Diamond Lane Music Group, before setting the stage on fire at the El Rey Theatre in Hollywood (Neon Tommy/Kathy Zerbib).

The Los Angeles stop was part of a week-long tour across California and Arizona, dubbed The Separation Tour.

READ MORE: Review: Problem At The El Rey Theatre

How is the tour going so far?

Problem: The tour has been amazing. We're going against the odds right now with it just being the type of year when people are leaving school and everybody's getting ready for Christmas. And with all these big acts touring, we're getting out here and we're selling [shows] out. So I'm pretty excited, especially with us being independent - Diamond Lane Music Group.

What's been your favorite stop on the tour so far?

Problem: Well, it's not done. So I don't want to even do that yet. Ask me that after we do Arizona and we can be like, "Well, this and that…"

How has your sound or music changed or evolved since you first started in the industry?

Problem: You know what, I can't say if it evolved or devolved. I kind of really just don't think that deep into it. I feel like I'm a victim of repetitiveness, I like to do things a lot. So if you do anything a gang of times, you're just going to start getting better at it. So I think that's more so what it is. And plus I'm just a lot happier and just wiser. I have a great team behind me - Diamond Lane Music Group.

Is the beat of a song or its lyrics more important to you guys?

Problem: Both. Both.

Bad Lucc: They both go hand in hand.

Problem: Both. One should compromise the other. There should be no integrity lost on either side.

What is your biggest accomplishment?

Bad Lucc: There's so many things, it's hard to say… We've worked with a lot of people. We've toured and performed a lot of places, seen a lot of things. I think one of the biggest accomplishments is actually today. This is my man Problem's first big tour, himself, on his own, going out, selling out these shows. They thought we couldn't do it, we're doing it. We're actually living examples of "If you believe, you can achieve it." Getting out there and grinding. I think today is a big accomplishment. Selling out our own tours, headlining our own tours.

Problem: Yeah, that definitely ranks up there. It's been a very impressive year, if I could just line up the accomplishments of what we've accomplished as a company. As Diamond Lane Music Group. Being majorly independent and being able to do the things we're doing. Like a dream come true. I could say this whole year is the biggest thing that's happened to me.

I know you said you guys worked with a lot of people. Who else do you really want to do a collaboration with?

Problem: Bad Lucc.

Bad Lucc: Yeah, I like Problem's work. Pretty dope.

What inspired you guys to first start making music? What said to you guys that this is what you should be doing? 

Problem: Well, for me, it was the girls. [Bad Lucc] has a way better rap answer. Girls like rappers. I wanted to do what the girls liked, started rapping. It was pretty much as simple as that, but his answer is way better.

Bad Lucc: My sister was really big as a hip hop [artist] and was rapping on the radio all the time. I just wanted to be like her. She was super dope, so that's pretty much in short what it was for me.

Who is your sister?

Bad Lucc: She's a regular working girl, beautiful mom. When she was in high school and I was just a youngin, I used to listen to her on the radio all the time. She used to be on 1580 KDAY, just rapping. She'd go to these clubs every weekend and be meeting all these people. So it was so dope to watch her meet all these heroes of mine. So I wanted to be like her.

SEE ALSO: Spin - Promo Campaign: Bad Lucc, His Big Sister, & 1580 KDAY

What is your favorite album ever?

Problem: For me - "Marshall Mathers LP."

Bad Lucc: For me - "Death Certificate," Ice Cube. 

How do you think hip hop and rap music will evolve over the next few years?

Problem: I mean, hip hop and rap is relatively young. It's a very young genre. It got popular in the late 80s, 90s. That's like 20, 30 years ago. You know what I'm saying? The new rules thing is bigger than just a hashtag, because there were really no rules. People just were trying to make them. Like, they were saying that you couldn't have an older rapper. Now, they're older rappers. They were really just the first generation of the West Coast, now we're the second. It's fairly new, so every day it's evolving. Rappers are singing, making beats. It's a good thing. We're rockstars, like what? Diamond Lane Music Group.

How was the process of making your EP "Understand Me," that drops December 10th?

Problem: It was easy. It's four album release records. It's more so a collection of songs put together to push my single "Understand Me." It's a whole project off of a single. It gives [the single] a whole body.

How important is having your team around you as you're moving up in the industry?

Problem: It's nothing more important, because the best day of my entertainment life is when I realized I'm not here to make friends. That was probably the best day of my rap life. So I don't give a f*ck if it ain't nobody else but us, I'm pretty much rolling with what I got. Because this is where I was before I got popular, they're going to be here when I'm not. Everything else is everything else.

Lastly, what are your future projects?

Problem: My single "Understand Me," my EP "Understand Me," [Badd Lucc's] single "Outchea." "Diamond Lane America," that's going to be our first full-length album as a group. So just be ready for it. Just keep your eyes on the f*cking Diamond Lane Music Group!

Bad Lucc: Whatever he said. 

Snag Problem's new EP "Understand Me" on iTunes, now available. Watch Problem's song "Like Whaaat?" featuring Bad Lucc below.

SEE ALSO: Problem At The El Rey Theatre On Flickr

Reach Film Editor Kathy Zerbib here. Follow her on Twitter here.