When most people hear the name N.O.R.E., they think of hip-hop hits, wild stories, and his iconic Drink Champs podcast. But on the latest episode of “A Healthy Point of View” podcast, hosted by Sam Tejada, CEO and Founder of Liquivida®, fans got a different look at the Queens legend, one that’s fueled by self-discipline, longevity, and a newfound devotion to health.
Joined by his friend and co-founder of Run Champs, Los Antonio, N.O.R.E. sat down with Sam to share a raw, funny, and surprisingly emotional conversation about the mindset shifts that come with evolving as a man, father, and cultural icon.
A Healthy Hustle: From Queens to Conscious Living
Born and raised in Lefrak City, Queens, N.O.R.E. grew up surrounded by diversity, Haitian, Dominican, Russian, Colombian, and more. “If you grew up racist in Queens, you really had to try,” he jokes. That melting pot shaped his worldview, his taste in food, and later, his passion for wellness.
He recalls how his neighborhood’s meals, pizza, and pistachio ice cream from Lemon Ice King gradually gave way to more conscious eating. “I started to want to eat to live, not live to eat,” he says.
That mindset came full circle when he watched his father, a boxer, train with relentless discipline. “He’d wake up every morning to jog. I think that rubbed off on me,” N.O.R.E. says. Today, that same habit fuels his own marathon training sometimes logging 200 miles in just 19 days. His grandson, now nine months old, already watches him lift and shadowbox. “Maybe that’s what my father was doing for me, leading by example.”
The Power of Reinvention
From platinum albums to viral podcast moments, N.O.R.E.’s career has thrived on evolution. But reinvention, he admits, takes courage and criticism.
“I like being doubted,” he says with a grin. “When people say I can’t do something, that’s when I work harder to prove I can.” That mindset led him from music to media and now to the wellness movement.
Los calls it longevity. “You’ve never been afraid to reinvent yourself in real time, in public,” he tells N.O.R.E. “That’s rare.”
For N.O.R.E., it’s also about staying extreme and intentional. “I’m all in or not in at all,” he says. “If I’m gonna learn to cut hair, I’m gonna learn how to dye it too. I always want to go deeper than everyone else.”
Balancing Both Worlds: Drink Champs Meets Detox
Of course, when your most famous show celebrates alcohol, critics are quick to question how health fits into the picture. N.O.R.E. doesn’t shy away from it.
“One guy said, ‘How are you promoting wellness when you host Drink Champs?’” he recalls. “But why can’t I be both?”
Sam jumps in to back him up: “That’s like saying, ‘I won’t shower because I’ll get dirty again.’ We all drink. The question is, are you doing what it takes to take care of your body afterward?”
N.O.R.E. agrees. “I use charcoal, glutathione, NAD, all that,” he says. “Even when I’m not drinking. I take care of my body every day.”
For him, wellness isn’t about perfection; it’s about balance. “You can still live your life,” adds Los. “You just make smarter swaps. That’s the real hack.”
Lessons from the Run Champs
The idea behind Run Champs was born from that same philosophy pushing boundaries, but doing it together. The crew runs 100 miles a month, blending fitness, recovery, and brotherhood. “Recovery is fly,” N.O.R.E. says. “Sitting in the sauna, getting a massage, jumping in a cold plunge that’s luxury.”
He describes his recovery routine like a ritual: long runs, sauna sweat sessions, cold plunges, and even meditating in between. “You feel it,” he says. “That glow, that peace, it’s addictive. I used to think success was money or fame. Now, it’s how good I feel in my body.”
Sam nods. “That’s what biohacking is all about: improving your baseline so you can live better and longer.”
Biohacking the Culture
What first drew N.O.R.E. to biohacking was the idea of living longer and living better. “People told me I could extend my life, and that was the most attractive thing in the world,” he says. “You can have all the money, all the cars, but none of that means anything if you’re not healthy.”
These days, he tracks everything: VO2 max data, blood work, sleep recovery. “I like seeing where I’m at in life,” he explains. “Data doesn’t lie.” His wife even joined him for testing and after seeing her results, she gave up red meat completely. “That’s the beauty of it,” he laughs. “You can literally see your progress.”
Mind Over Miles
Whether he’s running marathons or recording hit podcasts, N.O.R.E.’s greatest strength might be his mental toughness. “I lie to myself,” he admits. “If my body says, ‘Stop,’ my mind says, ‘You got more.’ When you break through that wall, that’s where growth happens.”
His advice to anyone starting? “Push yourself a little harder every day. If you run three miles, make it five. If you lift weights, add a few reps. Every step forward matters.”
For N.O.R.E., the real competition isn’t with others, it’s with yesterday’s version of himself. “I wake up every morning trying to kill the person I was last night,” he says. “Even if he was great, I want to be better.”
A New Era of Wellness for the Culture
As A Healthy Point of View continues into Season Two, this conversation marks a powerful shift in how we think about health. It’s not about green juices and perfection, it’s about grit, self-awareness, and growth.
“Health isn’t just physical,” Sam reminds listeners. “It’s a mindset. It’s a balance. It’s the people you surround yourself with.”
For N.O.R.E. and Los, wellness is no longer a side mission; it’s the main event. And they’re bringing the culture with them, one mile, one laugh, and one honest conversation at a time.