R and B Money.
We are.
Take pologize.
We are the authority R and B ladies and gentleman.
Name is Tank and this is the R and B Money Podcast, the authority on all things R and B business, big business, tenured business. Uh. You know, sometimes you in this game and then you're no longer in this game. But sometimes you in this game and you stay in this game a long time because you've done some real cool ship.
Starting with cool ship?
Are you cool? Lady?
Was young?
Right?
We go back like a six back, come on oolosis.
I got it now. I was like, oh, hilariens.
Doing this a minute A man?
I thought you're about to say a million years?
No, no, no, no, not a million, but it.
Is close A minute, yes, a minute, yes, all like.
Both of you, which is screw.
We can get into that, get it. We're gonna get into that all really like all really good stuff. And I say that because you know, going through this business can can can do so many things to you if you're not grounded in who you are. And every time I've seen you since the beginning, you are one hundred percent, one hundred and fifty percent you that you're bad. Listen, you are you? You this is this is you, that is anyone.
Knows you know, that's the case to have on Chuck Taylor.
I really am that is so funny thing. I take it as a compliment.
But yeah, because because because the consistency is everything right, and you know, having the friendships and having the relationships with good people's everything, especially people you can depend on, you know what I'm saying. And a lot of times it's not even it's not even business when it comes to that type of thing. It's like it's like that person is going to say you good, that's a family, like that type of thing that is bigger than this business.
And you you don't have that with everybody that you come in contact with this thing, and so you know, to to you know, to.
See like you know what I'm saying, every time I see you them like.
Like she cares you know, you know, yeah, yes, yes, And.
So like for for us and even this pot it's always great too because we love to get into the intricacies of how this sting moves and everybody is all is so enamored with you know, who's in the video and who's on the songs and all of these things. I mean, maybe now they're into the producers and somewhat the writers.
You know what I'm saying.
But you've been orchestrating it from an artist, songwriter, producer standpoint since the beginning, which has helped shape all of this, like yeah, you know what I mean, and so you're you're important so that they understand like women in this business also make this motherfucker shack.
Period a lot.
More now, thankfully.
Heay.
First of all, we're gonna get it back. R and B.
We're gonna get it back. Bella's begin ass kick.
Just saying getting whoop?
What you posting?
Mighty hoodie over the head?
You up?
That's how we getting whooped?
Right, you're it down.
It's just I can't do it for myself. They're gonna pull the VIDI over.
You got to keep that apack you now.
Just moments. But let's start from the beginning. Let's start from the beginning. Let's start with.
Was this always a desire of yours to be in the music business? Because this ship is different?
No, I mean, well, you got to think like I didn't know I could. So I didn't grow up. I'm not from LA I'm from New York. I didn't I didn't know anyone that was in music like I. My father loved me ZI. So then by proxy, you get exposed to all the things that they list your parents listen to, and I'm looking at their vinyl and listening to songs over and over and over again. And I didn't think about this until years later, but I was like, I used to sit there, pull the jacket sleeves out
of albums and listen to records with the lyrics. So like from then, I loved songs and lyrics and I've always been a lyric girl. And it's funny now I'm like, oh, I've been doing this since I was a kid, but I never knew anyone that did. So when I went to college, I went to USC in Los Angeles.
What got you to USC? Because that's not and smart.
I want to start there.
I was a dean scholar in high school and I.
Don't even know what that means.
It just means you get good grade.
No, I'm just saying, I heard yeah, yeah, so you just yeah, so.
You ap class ap classes, and so you you only know, especially back then, like you don't. I didn't know what I wanted to do. I have peak kids that do or they fascinate me because I just was like, I don't I don't know, like my parents work jobs, you know, And so you're like, I know, college from everything I seen on television is how people have careers. So you go to college because you're like, well that's why you go to college and you get a good job. You know,
there's your whole life. You hear that. So I went to college and I don't know if I was like, this is the college I want to go all that stuff that people experience. Now, I was just like, they gave me the most money. I sorry USC, like cause I know it's like a big teda school, but I used to I literally be like, why did you pick us? I'm like, they gave me the most money to go there, so I picked there because we didn't have money.
And the USC is not cheap, no, but.
It's private, so they give you more funding. I guess. So that was it. It was like I was in music the whole time but didn't know. So I was like doing things like this thing they used to have called Songfest where they would have organizations with COMPEDE. I'd work with the Black Student Union of course, because I wasn't in fraternity or anything, and you would put together like a show. They would take popular songs and change the words and like it had a theme and you
perform at the shrine. And like one year I was in it. The next year I was, you know, like choreographing and directing it and had to get music made. I was figuring it all out. I didn't know I was in music. I was just doing like the song fest thing, so you don't think, like it doesn't feel like it's possible. And I had roommates in college that were from Los Angeles that used to go to like rapper videos and like all in a video, you know, and I would be at home because I wasn't cool.
I would be at home and be like how do y'all? Like how did you do that? Like how do you know about videos and where artists are going to be? Like that's crazy? And I loved music so much, but that's not a career. Like I'm not a singer, I'm not a rapper, I'm not a dancer for real, Like that's not a career. So I think it was more so it was like my junior year of college, this guy I can't remember his name now, but He used to be in one of my classes and he was
an engineer. He was older and he was getting ready to graduate, and you know, he's an engineer major. So I was like, oh, you know, he's like, yeah, I'm going to start my job at Coke. And I was like, you don't work at Coke and as an engineer and he's like, oh yeah, I just did engineering, So I could, you know, have these skill set because I want to be this person in business And I was like, oh my god, like it never. I was like, oh, you could like get an education and still like be whatever
you want to be. And so I was like huh and he was like what. And I was like, well, you know, I really like music, but you know, like I'm a communications major and like I'm trying to figure out like how go get a comms job somewhere or whatever. And he was like, you know, how long have you been working? And I was like shit, I I since I was fifteen. And he's like, well, you could work anywhere, like do something you want to do. And I swear
on everything I love because I am so corny. I went back to my apartment on campus like with this like determination, like a scene from a sitcom and like called my parents and was like, I'm gonna work in the music industry.
Off of one conversation.
Yeah, I'm dead ass serious. My parents were like okay, you know, but it was like I had all this courage, like I have found purpose. It was so funny. And from that moment on, I was like researching and internships and like just like how do I get in? How do I get in? How do I get in? And you know, eventually I got an internship.
So you didn't ask none of your video of Vixen help.
Me, you know, take me down to bless them. Their desire for music was a little different than they enjoyed the fruits of hip hop. At that not so much a way to say that. End up, I did not say that. They just enjoyed being on set. From what I understood, I was never invited, of course, because you know,
I'm not cool. But so I started like intern Somebody introduced me to a gentleman, Kerry Gordy, who is the son of Barry Gerdy, who I kind of thought it was going to be an internship, but was really like, damn near a full time job, which I didn't care.
You still still at this point, I am.
Yeah, and he's like great, Like I don't know if you know Carrie, but like he talks really fast and he's like great, I love it. And I'm just like my god, like also, you know Barry Gordy and like you.
I mean yeah, I mean.
I'm so far removed from like you know, I'm going to school full time, I'm working forty hours a week. I'm like I'm doing whatever to make sure I survive. And you meet a guy who's like related to Barry Gordy, Like this isn't real, this is not real life. And so he and his wife had a production company and they no, lie, We're like we had this album we finished and we need to turn all the credits in.
So like here I'm like going through nothing. When I say I know nothing, I'm like calling, like call Aftra, okay, hi, Aftra this far and I have to say that this musician did this and that I mean like literally talk about get it from the mud, just like go figure out how to deliver an album. I'm like, I don't know. It was the hardest thing I ever did in my whole life, shout out to adding people.
And it was way different.
Phone calls and and hold, but.
It was please and you're like hi hi, hi, hi yah, So okay, just do I put yes because and the other part was it was this immense pressure. One I wanted to be great, and two I didn't want to mess up right, like because the first thing I learned was like, if we don't turn this in, like we gotta pay fees and fines. And so now I'm you know, I didn't know at the time, like I shouldn't have probably been delivering an album, like I didn't know nothing. So it's funny to me now, but like that was it.
And then I probably wasn't even there six months when someone else that used to work there was like, you know what that Jive they're hiring and I'm like a word. He's like, yeah, I'm gonna get you. I'm gonna get you a meeting with the with the president, and I'm like, okay, you know, Like so I'm I'm so like, oh my god,
like Jive records, like are you kidding me? Like try called quest like Will Smith, like like I was just I couldn't all my favorite things in the entire world, and I'm like, you know, receptionist job, and I go for a meeting there and you know, they're just you know, they're interviewing me. Da da da da. I don't even think I told them I was in college because I was afraid that they wouldn't hire me. So I was like, oh, yeah, I'm available and I could do whatever and it's fine
and blah blah blah. And they were like, Okay, I got the phone call. I tell you almost die. I about died, Like I thought, like it just didn't make any sense to me, you know, cause it just doesn't. You don't know it again, you don't know anyone that this happens for. There wasn't Instagram where everybody's famous and
those famous people like nobody I knew. And so now you're in the office and like trave called Quest walks in and you're like, you know, now you're talking to camal aka q Tip and you're you know, driving them around everywhere. Like that was my job was like as you get home. I got hired as a receptionists. But the good news was it was pretty much the satellite
office of the New York Office. So I did you do everything everything, mail records, you know, so and so's in town, drive them everywhere, like d nice, I gotta try. I got a signed to to Derek when he doesn't even he didn't even know this till later is so funny. I'm so corny. It makes me laugh. So I was assigned to him. They would rent a car for me because I was too young to rent my own car, and they would I would drive them around to go eat,
to go to whatever they were was also doing. He wouldn't he was doing like TV show auditions and stuff. So I would just be with him like for days at a time when he was in town and like his intern, basically like drive him everywhere. Years later, when when he started to like his DJ thing really started to be like, I don't know if you remember me, but I used to like be your intern, he was just like, oh yeah, because I was sitting in the audition, like I got to see him do TV auditions, like
I got to see everything. I used to go. I used to have to go. This is so long ago, but I used to get sent over to Fresh Prince of bel Air to go wait for Will to sign all the autographs. They'd be like, go over there and have him signed autographs, and.
So you would have all the pictures picture yep.
And I would just be sitting there like they just walk by, and then Benny Madina would be like, all right, you can go in now, you know, and then Will would sign all the seven hundred thousand and then I drive it back. I was so and I'd just be like, I'm lucky as much stuff to me, you know. He was so nice and I would just be like, oh my god, Will Smith is nice. Oh my god, he said a joke to me, like it just didn't make sense.
And so I love that part, like the discovery and the newness, and like I think as my career expanded, that's what I started to become attracted to, which is the newer generation of people and their excitement, you know, the the dream in your head, Like when I met you and they're like, this is Tank the new guy from Virginia and he's a singer, and like I'm like, and you're just you could just see like I can't you know, like I'm gonna be this you know. Yeah,
It's like that's the wonderful. That's the part that like you know that you just you cove it because you know, then there becomes other times that you need to you need to have sensory recall and be like, oh yeah, I do love this right because because you love it, and then sometimes you don't because it is a tough business. It's a tough business.
So when do you get out of When do you get out of assisting and and and doing getting autograph sign to finally getting a real position somebody saying hey, I think you would be great at this.
So it's it's interesting. I was very again, do everything. You know, you're doing the list for the parties, you're I mean literally everything. And one of the things was that Jive and a company called Zomba Publishing at the time were connected and they were in the same building and so it's a satellite office. And the woman that was running that used to ask me she was not a she was not proficient in R and B and
hip hop music. That wasn't her bag. So she'd be like, hey, you know, if you want to listen to these demos and you want to like da da da da da songwriters, And I was like, of course, it was like a light again. It's like a moment where I was like, I love songwriters. I love song I was like, this is what I want to do. I want to work with songwriters. I don't even know what it's called that.
If there's a job for songwriters and publishing, publishing, right, oh, publishing, Like it was just like this discovery and so I would listen to songs, give her things like tell her what I thought was good or not, and like I was answering phone, so shit, I was important. Like that was exciting for me. And she was like one day and they call me the baby because I was like so much younger than everybody around there, and they'd be like,
get into the baby to do it or whatever. We got to get the baby a cary, you know, we gotta get the baby a car because she can't run a car. Like it's just silly stuff. And she was like, you know, a woman I used to work with by the name of Kathleen Carrie is hiring at Sony Publishing, like for a job. And I was like, it's like I should call her and just you know, you should meet her. And I'm like, you know, oh my god. And at this time I'm not just working at Jibe.
I'm like meeting artists that are like you should manage me. And I'm like okay, and like let's go to figure out how to make a demo, and like getting to an R people and like playing their stuff and then almost getting a deal. So I was starting to like move around before people would be like you got to move around? Like I was just kind of like, well we probably need some music, well we probably need some photos. You know, you just were doing all of the things.
And she introduced me to Kathleen, and I didn't know nothing, Like I really was just like I'm this, I'm bad. Kathleen's like, you know, sweet, and I could tell she liked me, but I did not get the job. And you know, I remember calling my mom was so sad. You know, I love my mom. I love my mom. And I was like, Mom, yeah, they hired somebody else and this and that and whatever. My Mom's like, I
don't know, I think that's your job. And I'm like, Mom, I don't think you heard literally hired another person, not my job. She's like, I don't know. I just feel like it's your job. I'm like, Mom, Jesus, like you're so cute, it's not my job. Two weeks later, my phone is Kathleen. Kathleen was from Dallas and so she's like, harka, that's like your head. She starts the conversation. I'm like hi. She's like, so, I've been thinking I really like you
and you just don't know anything. But I just feel like there's something about you that's making me feel like I should see you again. So I'm confused because I'm like, I know, they hire somebody else, can you come back in? And I was like yeah, right. So apparently whoever they offered the job to, something weird happened and she didn't get the job, and it was a she that's all
I know. I come in. I'm like, Okay. In my head, I'm like, be calm, be cool, Like don't you know everything people say you like, don't get too excited, like I still don't know, Like I feel like it's like a thirteenth interview. At this point, I brought a CD of music of things I like, things I would sign things.
I'm like, I'm all yeah. And so I'm meeting with her and the number two guy and they're asking me different questions and they asked me like I put my favorite cover, which was risky because I did intros Ribbon in the Sky because I was like I don't think Stevie Wonder should ever be covered, but this is the one time I felt like it did it just I was just like ah everything, I knew why. And so they're like, I think we'd like to hire you, right, So my ass is like, okay, cool, like that sounds great,
Like I'm trying to be an adult. My ass is like, are you I'm going insane? So I'm like cool. I was like, can I can I use a restaurant? Like I'm dying, I'm like trying to call my mother. I'm like, oh my god, oh my god. I come back out like sure, that would be wonderful. Like he let me know, like the offer is, and like I'm stupid.
Somewhere of.
Your office would be your assistant. Mind you, I am an assistant, So I'm like I have an assistant like like this, it's not real. Like she hated me, by the way, shout out to her. She was much older than me at the time because she was already there. So she was like who is this child? And yeah, they like she was not having it. She quit after like a few months. But I didn't even know how to use her because I honestly she was older, So part of it was like.
What I'm imagining?
Do you mind?
Don't even know how to ask for some call? But could you give me?
Do you think I have to take a flight? Do you know I'm supposed to call the book? She's looking at me, like, girl.
Said, right, I should have that when I fly.
They're like, she's looking like you know, And it was just big, like it was just how and why and like and Kathleen, who's so wonderful, who I credit for so much of of just taking a shot on me. Because even after I started, I remember, since then, every day I thought I was gonna get fired, right, Like You're like, okay, they yeah, You're like, they don't. I don't know nothing. They gave me this big ass job. I got an assistant. I don't even know how to.
Use her, like, and you're at Sony.
Publishing, Sony Publishing Publish and I'm exactly and I'm sitting in the office, my office just like.
How old are you?
I think that was like twenty two? Yeah, yeah, I was wow. Yeah, I mean at this point now I've graduated and I'm like, I don't know nothing. I know nothing.
So here's my question, Yeah, how did you used to fill up your day.
That was the problem. So initially I was listening to everything, like I was pulling out all the music and familiarizing myself with the roster and like dreaming of where I
thought people should work. I can knew that much. But no, no, right, I just was And Kathleen again, she walks by my office and she's like, I was like, I don't really know where to start, Like I was just very honest, and she's like, and she used to tell this story which used to make me feel so good, but she was like, you know, one day I just told her to pull out the directory and call people and introduce herself, and she would say it. I never had to tell
her anything again to that, which is not true. But I appreciated that she felt like I was a self starter because I was. I wanted to figure it out. So then it was Hi, this is Eric Grayson Sony pushing and like each person and then they'd be like, come on in and then you you know, and then eventually you get a rhythm and you get it. But it was really for me, like I didn't even know then that I was in the industry, because for me, I still was a kid excited to be around all
of these people. So I don't know, I never I don't think that, like looking at myself as someone ever happened, because I was always like, holy shit, that's so and so, or I'm with such and such or that's and I'm at this convention and like it was always just like I can't believe I'm here. At some point, somebody's just gonna be like, dude, dude, what are you doing here? You know, and it never just never happens.
It's interesting to hear.
The beginning for you because it brings back a memory for me where I had my first job opportunity.
Was with Ira Jaffe.
Oh yeah, Famous Music, yeah, which I was signed to. I remember I was signed to Famous Music and then Brian Pastel left and then Ira offered me his job and Brian had signed me right right, and I'm like, no, like.
No other guy right.
And I think at the time I might have been twenty, yeah, nineteen twenty something around that, and I'd only been signed there maybe a year if that six whatever it was, And I remember Ira was saying to me, he was like.
I'm gonna give you the weekend to think about it.
Right, and then we talked again that Monday, and we talked and he could just hear it in my voice. I had been fighting with it all weekend or whatever, because you know.
In my mind, I'm like, oh man, I go from being the writer and now I'm signing everybody.
I'm about to be cracking. And that's why I asked, like, how do you feel up your day? Because I was even I was I was thinking about it, like when I get there.
What do I do?
What would I be doing?
Right?
Will I not be taking these niggas calls?
And H was like, Jay, I think you would do great at this, but I don't think it's time yet. And he kind of let me off the hook, right, and I'm just like, damn, I think you kind of.
Fired me already. I don't really know if I wanted it.
So it's just interesting for you to tell your story because like I had those thoughts in my head of like, how how would I do it if I was on the other side of this, right, and for you to and it was it's crazy because like you're practically the same age when it's happened for you, So it's just wild. It's wild to hear that.
It's funny now, but because I always you know, now I'm you know, the O G. But I always tell people like nobody knows what they're doing.
We're unks now, Yeah, not like I like, I like, I was like, I'm kind of o G.
I kind of dig it.
They don't mean the same as you said.
Yeah.
It was like if you're in your title, if you're unk and your O G, that means you still in it.
That's you still got some cashe be feeling about. What about they start calling you popa.
Nigga?
That's when you that's when you ain't in it.
Just disrespectful to.
I was like, first of all, that went somewhere way over there, went from.
Like what's it gets there?
I know, I know the disrespect you to give its start running off.
My accomplished motherfucker when.
He takes all a shirt. Yeah, he starts doing maybe I deserve you as Sony.
Yes, who's like the first like big artists, big writer that you like, oh ship or somebody that you see early on that you're like, oh this artist is about to crack the writer.
The writer.
Yeah, So I think when we I say we because my mentor whether he claims me or not Big John and I we I think we changed publishing at that time a little bit because it really wasn't artists forward. It was a lot of like songwriter, singer, you know, songwriter and producer and it was him to some extent and Susette Williams who I will marrish forever. That was like we could we could sign artists. We could like
we could do this different. There our senior people at the time that were our cohorts, but not but much older than us. We're still like signing the traditional writers. We were like show you know we could sign we could go after the brat or we could go after you know, jay Z, who Big John ended up signing, right. I tried to sign up like a joke, Like they were just like how much girl, get out of here?
Twelve?
Yeah, they were like hmm, you know, we really believe in you, but not that much. But you know, it was different then, and you see like Big John's not his just all his accomplishments, but also like his relationship with Jay it started from back then. So I think like we saw the talent easily at that point. It was just about competing, right, And in those days, you know,
I had him like he's like I was. I felt like, I think I got one deal away, one deal we both wanted away from him, maybe maybe more later, but which was Dutch. I said that we'd be clubbing, and I remember and I got Andrew and we were going, yeah, and we were going I mean when I say like he was doing all the things like I was like, oh my god, I have to go back to the company.
And it was so funny because when I got the deal and John is we're both our birthdays are three days apart other than the years, but like our we're both scorpios and competitive, you know. And I remember because I love John and I remember seeing him as like the b and my awards after, like are you mad at me? And he was like, what, no, He's probably like, girl, you got one out of nineteen deals.
I ain't thinking about it.
But in my head I was like, I hope he's not mad at me, you know, for winning a deal, like cause I just he just meant so much to me. But I also was like I wasn't gonna let the deal go right. So it was that and we'd be clubbing was so big and it was exciting. It was attached to a movie like I was popping, you know in my head. But you know I was just like, oh I did something, and you just learn, like you just learned. You learn what's a good deal, what's not
a good deal? Like you just have that, you know, you have that thing. So I think everyone at that time we were all kind of going after it wasn't. I don't think I had some special vision. I just think we were all like, this is how signed, you know, and then either you wanted or you didn't, Like you won the deal or you didn't.
So how did okay?
For the for the audience, right and for people who don't really know much about that side of the music business, what were you for you? Because obviously, you know, times are different, but certain things still remain.
What were things that made you want to sign a writer? Producer?
Are this writer? What those things like? What were some of the things that stuck out? What you were like, yeah, like, okay, this looks like somebody I would want to work with or sounds like somebody I would want to work with.
It was it grew different over time, like because you also start to recognize, like I was lyric and melody for me, was like more my thing, right, which again I didn't. It wasn't automatic. I wasn't like, oh I'm into lyric and melody. It was more what I discovered about myself over time. So I liked writers, you know, I liked you know, I got that handled babyfaces, you know, camp catalog everything when I was at Sony, So I
mean that was babyface, right. So I liked beats, I loved I obviously loved hip hop and from New York. But it was really about what things would say and when I my god, I'm like, this is so funny.
When I I was a kid, before before music videos, before MTV ladies and gentlemen, which actually was a thing, I used to sit in the car with my head back when my parents were playing music, and my parents would be like, what are you doing, and I'd say, I'm making music movies and I would make videos up in my head to the songs that were playing.
Right, So, because they were so vivid.
They were so vivid, and the songs, the lyrics, the story is what always captivated me. And so for me it was about like, yeah, of course, like they're working with so and so, and they have this potential in that potential, but it was also just like from talent, it was someone who could tell a great story. And it's still that way to me. I think it still matters. I don't think that would. I hope that never changes.
I mean I personally don't think it ever will. Yeah, that part of the music business, I think, you know, because it's it evokes emotion. Yeah, like you said, like I love you got to have the track for sure, but like when you find the writer that can really tell you a story and really put you into a place so that you can make music movies, you.
Know what I mean?
Like that, that's just a whole other level.
That is absolutely and it's like even as we said, bringing today's time, whether it's where it's R and B a track don't matter. That story yeah, of whoever it is walking down their street in their hood, right, and the play by play of what that looks like.
It's so real. Like if you think about just like now, like modern times, if you take someone like Charlie Hansom, right, who's a producer and an instrumentalist. Charlie is like you know, when I met him, he had just done fade for for for and I think works with thug Travis, Like, I mean, like all the all the guys is now Morgan Whelan, you know him, and j Cash and and and post and like, to me, it's like that just shows you how transferable you know, story is. It's just what venue is it in?
Right?
Like is it in country and you're talking about whiskey and you know the love you've never had? Or are you talking about you know? So I always find like, to me, those examples are so extraordinary because it really is that way. And I think that's that gave me a lot of benefit. Like even before I could really articulate, like articulate what it was, it was like I could see where someone else could be that they weren't already
as writers. Yeah, I think that if I had a superpower, I'd be like, you should be writing this, Like you should be doing more pop, more global, more that, more this, even though you're writing R and B records or you're doing whatever.
So as a publisher, right because then you know the other side of that is what does a publisher do?
Right? So?
And we all know and in any.
Job you can pick you can pinpoint and pick out the things someone doesn't do. Everybody always you know, everybody wants to put a spotlight on you don't do this, and you didn't do that, and you just chased the charge or you got blah blah blah blah. But like, as a publisher, so when someone would sign to Sony and they would sign and you would sign them, what would what were the things that you felt like, Okay, as a publisher, this is what I need to do to get them to this next place.
Well, I think it would start with like introducing them to and our people that maybe they didn't know, right, Like that was initially like the very basic things of like publishing, of like oh okay, here's just new writers or just whatever. Them having a HiT's helpful because they want to know them. But then you're like, let's put them in community, like what other writers and what other producers do they not know? Let's put them with their
with their their other halves or their other cohorts. Because you're like, you may be writing with so and so all the time, but what would happen if you tried writing with this person? And then then you learn, even as a publishers and a young executive, like writers come away from that with new things as well. So they develop. Also, it's not just like oh I put them together and there's this new chemistry and now it's they got a hit.
It's also like they came away better at something, and so then you just start taking them on a journey and then you try stuff like you would be like, huh, it would be interesting to see what would happen if you put you know, this person and that person together. Sometimes it's trash and sometimes it isn't, but you can't be afraid it's funny. A producer I ran into, like recently at the ASCAP Awards was like so excited to
see me. I had worked with them actually in my sony days, who is now managing who dragged me over to their writer who had won an award and was like, remember the story I told you about the young the executive that told me don't be afraid to be whack.
This is her.
Oh god, I said that it was kind of sounds like something I would say, but that but that is true. Like I used to be like, don't be afraid really to try things, Like I'm of an efficient speaker, so I was like, don't be whack, don't be afraid to be whack. But it was like, why not, because you don't know what beauty is gonna come of that collaboration.
And so that, to me, in addition to like shopping their songs and all that other stuff, is the ultimate best you could do for a writer because you're introducing them to what could be the evolution of themselves, you know, and that's profound. You I mean, you guys are both writers, you know, Like it's profound to learn things from people you just didn't even think was possible.
He's one hundred percenter guy.
Yeah, I mean, you know, he never he's over there like I don't do that collaboration.
It was so funny. This is funny. I don't know if you.
Saw this right, because because they they posted like they have this thing where they talk about records that you've done, so had they did that for me just randomly, right, I just randomly saw it, and I'm going down I'm reading the comments and they're like, there's a lot of Tank records on here.
I guess he ain't really one hundred percent.
I'm like, this is hilarious because how people take things.
It's just so funny.
Yeah, and you know, because when he did his he did his drink champs, and he talked about you know, being one hundred percenter and writing records.
He did not ever say though, I don't collaborate. He never said that, right learned that someone had to learn.
Yeah, but that's I mean, you do meet incredible talent and you're like, listen, even though you can do everything, imagine what somebody else might bring to your know.
It was so surprising when I met him years ago and I understood that, you know, all the shit that he could do, and I'm like, damn, he really is cool with everybody just working though, and everybody you know, chiming in and this person having this idea because I do know a couple other one hundred percent.
Like yeah, yeah, nobody, no, no, ya, I don't want anyone any room.
Yeah what nig you just you just want to be in there by yourself. Yeah, you hang out with you, I meet the room.
The first time I've had a session like that, I was confused. I'm not gonna lie where. I was like as an an R and didn't. They didn't want the producer there either, and I was like, but the producers are good, okay, And then I had to go like call and get another studio room and be like they need to be in there by themselves.
People just take themselves too serious and gonna take.
The beat over there, and the producers are like, I'm like, well, you could just work on more beats. Like, I don't know what's at this point. I don't know. It's so awkward to me.
It's like everyone has their process, everyone has I mean, if they're getting results there, I will allow it, you know what I'm saying. But at the same time, I'm of the mind of you know, if if, if, if we're all really good, yeah and we all sitting.
Here, our chances are better, oh man, are better? Yeah, yeah, we ain't. None.
Don't get left on the floor because somebody going to know, don't don't don't remember this facts.
We've had so many of those.
Mom Come on, man, it's really true.
Because I want to go to because it's something that he brought up earlier, you guys connection, Oh yeah, because that's before it's you know what I mean.
I want to. I want to.
I want to tap into that because you know the other part too with with you know, they're always like, well the discovery on R and B money, Yes, right, when we have we have artists, we have executives, writers, everything. But I always wanted I always wanted to highlight the connected fiber and I know you know what I mean, Like, you know, I know how we connect. But I think it starts with tank. It does even before it starts.
Yeah, you're right, I think so, I think so. So. I I was sick of working. So I've always been an intra ultrapreneur or whatever. I was always working in and out of companies, like the corporate structure. I think when I started to feel like it didn't make sense in terms of business, maybe that lack of control, I would be like, eh, this isn't like, this isn't We're gonna go through an era. And I was usually right that things were changing in a way that I wasn't
excited about. So at Sony it was like that. I was just like, you know, I really love writer producers. There were so many that were asking me to manage them. Back then, you were like, no, I have a job. Nowadays everybody's doing everything. God bless them, take all the money. But I was always like, you know, it was a choice. It wasn't like a dot. At the same time, and Barry Hankerson and you know, Jomo Hankerson, who I adore, was like, yo, you know we're doing this publish thing
with em. I like you can come like help us do that. So I was like, okay, if I do that manage producers, I'm like, all right, I'm out.
So I quit.
I quit. I was like, all right, I'm gonna go do and that. I mean, listen, my deal was up. You know, we are executives, got deals, and my deal was up and they hadn't spoken to me in time. And my humble opinion because I was like, well, they ain't come, so I better figure it out anyway. Then they want to sit down and be like, so what are we going to do for the next deal? And I was like, you know, like cause I'm you know, I'm moving. I'm still the girl that's like, there's no
stopping the babies on the go. So I was consulting for Blackgrounds, which was very It was Aliyah Rest in Peace, Static Major, this guy over here, Eric seats like, oh my gosh, like the talent is just insane, Rap and Nissan. I mean it was like everyone that everyone that Major favorite hits right really truly, especially especially R and b honestly, and I was somehow supposed to run the publishing company, which when I say that, because it was a small
company and everyone had to do everything. So I think Jomo when I first started, because this is back in New York now, Jrumo was like in Australia working on Aliah's al and so I'm there for least a month, like, hey, is somebody coming in to work. We're gonna be there
next week, child, next week was like months. I was like, okay, listen, and you start picking up and you're you know, doing the things or trying to organize this craziness and brokering the deal with em I, which was cool, and dealing with all of them, and then Los Angeles at Jomo's hotel, He's like, we signed this guy. You know he's gonna be this and that. He's the church kid. But we're gone, we're gonna church kid. We're gonna get him out of that. Sorry, I love you.
And I was I had no.
Idea, you know me, I'm believing it, like, oh no, don't hurt the church guy.
Drive around the hood.
The church guy, yes, said, he comes in and this is Tank. Tank's a writer and a producer and a singer and this and that, and I was like, wow, like he was so the same honestly and just like really pen and voice was very impressive, like and still even then was reminiscent of you know, old school soul like even then, like even then, it wasn't like it was unique in that.
As a young punk.
No, I was like young, but you were green in the ways of like I remember being worried about you. Is that weird?
No, I remember being like are.
You I was like, I don't know, he seems so nice and oh boy, you know, I listen. Blackground was different. It was different, yeah, Berry, you know, managing the guy, the Kelly guy and the and the Yeah, it was a different life. So I was definitely like it was.
A hood label.
It was a street hood.
It was label full of R and B singers, full of R.
And B singers, and all of our management and administration was all from the streets.
That is all of them true.
Like I literally would get picked up in the morning, oh gosh, and be driven around l A from Inglewood the contents to this is my little Niga tank.
I know who that is. I know who that one was.
This is my little nigga tank.
To keep an eye for.
Yeah, facts, yep, yep, see ray yep.
And I was like, I.
Knew when everybody when everyone.
First, yeah, but I didn't know what that meant. Like I'm from these coasts. You know what I'm saying. You know my few guys, you know what I'm saying. Whatever it is, But we are driving from sun up to sundown and introducing me to people on different blocks who run all these different blocks and do all these different things.
And I'm like, what does this have to do? What does it have to do with music? Any of these guys producing song?
I mean, you have to know I knew. I knew when. Oh my god, this is so funny. I can't believe I knew when every all the executives had nicknames, that something was different.
Hmm.
Yeah, no one had like a real government name, and that was different. I would be like, oh, who is this one? And G such and such and Hugets such and such, and you know.
I was like, huh, I had seen things I had never seen before.
I had seen things I want to unsee.
Yeah, things I can talk about. I remember going to New York and and they're like, this is von'sip, He's gonna be looking out for you while you know. I'm like, okay. I would just roll around with Von Zip around New York and he would take me two different garages where he housed all his cars. He had cars, and damn near every garage in Manhattan. He was nice, really nice upscale cars. And I'm like, we will take you to see my mother. And then something I had never seen before in my life.
We go to a club.
And we get into this club and the people in the club is just not treating Vaughn the way he felt like he needed to be treated. So he said, all right, let's go. We all show these motherfuckers. We go to the to the car Cadillac, he hits the trump. There's two coolers. We're in the parking lot of the club.
There's champag and there's ice cooler cooler. He turns the music on, blasts starts inviting everybody who's waiting in line to get into the club to come into the parking lot and party and drink with us.
So club Tailgate, Club, I'm trying to follow this whole thing.
Club Tailgate, and we out there in the parking lot, which is.
Possible having a time right.
And he's just you know, he's hosted.
I'm just like Hugger, Huggy Bear, Flint brown Sugar, Brown Sugar that did not know. One had to.
Happy to be here. I have no idea what's going on.
I kind of did and didn't. Right. It was like I know enough to not want to be driving around, but I didn't know too much, so I would just go do my job.
You were smarter than I was, Like it you know what.
I don't. I don't. Okay, we're gonna, we're gonna, we're gonna take care of him.
He can be as How long were you at Blackground?
So I consulted for Blackground for two years, sadly when baby Girl passed away, which was a whole other thing. But but I was always like I was consulting with them. I was managing producers. I was they brought me. I was managing god so many people. It was just random. It was just always like I was getting hired to help work on projects, and that was like I enjoyed it for a long time. And then I think I worked with like Gosh who all focused. We did a
deal with doctor Dre. I was working with at the time, it was like the number one DJ in the country, which was Phelli Fell I was working with. I mean, he was god everything back then we were working. I was working with Geez, I mean like people, you know, they knew me. No, I was working with oh Isis. So there was this group called Isis back in the day that had a song called single for the Rest of Your Life, which was amazing. I love that song
this day. And there was a guy named Quadrilamin who was managing boys to men who had Isis and it was like could not He was like, I don't have time for this new group. Basically, can you come in and work with them? I did the Maya Mega and Megan's sister Lamaya was in the group, which was We're cool to this day. When I met Megan good, like, it's so crazy how everyone's still here, just bigger and better, I think so, like it was fun, like that was
a fun time, but I moved around so much. I felt like that was sort of how the inner scope of it all started to happen, because they were looking for someone apparently that could kind of self manage and move like. I didn't know that at the time, but it was like being called in for a meeting. And Jimmy was someone who I as an executive, was on
my list of people. Right. It was like Susanda Pass It was because she was to me, is the first day in R. Ever she signed the Jackson five, so like she's the best person ever in the business ever. And Jimmy, you know, for all the reasons. He was also cool. He was from Brooklyn, Like, he didn't dress like other executives. He wore a hat. I was like, oh my god, the guy wears jeans and sneakers. Like
what's not the love about him? You know? And so when I got the phone call to take the meeting and they were like, hey, we think we want you to do an R, and I was like, you know that, you know that could be cool, but going inside a company here's me again, just sounded.
Like Wow, at this point, you haven't done A and R.
No, No, you're doing it, but you're not doing it. You know. Yeah, you're helping, Yeah, exactly, you're helping make records, but again you do You're like, I'm not an A and R. So then they said the magic thing, which is like we'll just come meet with Jimmy was like Jimmy, I mean Jimmy, I mean like sure, you know, I mean y ivy, I mean you know if you insist, yeah,
I mean sure. And then you meet Jimmy and there's just no not doing like when you meet Jimmy especially then there's just no not wanting to work with him. Like he's just too special. And I'm glad that he ended up doing the documentary when he did, because it was it's always so hard to describe, you know, for people that didn't experience, you know, his vision and his brilliance, his charisma and all those things. So you can now just be like, oh, see the movie, right, because that's
literally how it was. Every day. It was chaotic. I mean, I'm not gonna hold you like it was not like there was. It was chaotic, but he had a view and a point of view and a vision and an
ability to spot talent that like was just i'ned. I learned so much just working there, because you got to see even the way he thought about music was different, Like he was like he was the first people that was like you know, what do you just say sell the T shirt and give the CD away for free, right, which was like this idea that people weren't valuing music the same way. And so if you sold the experience of music, right, if you give them, if you put it in a venue or a product or a thing,
that people because people loved music. It wasn't that it was that this idea of like buying a CD was getting old and antiquated. He knew that way early, Like that's why the headphones became a thing. That's why the Pussycat Dolls were a brand.
The journey for you is like so interesting, right of course, starting in the beginning where you say you you you were you were kind of developed, developing this thing that you just ended up being anyway, right, And so as you just as you reflect on your on your journey in the business, like what is the part that you've played so many parts? What is the part that you
play and I'm just say played would play that? Like to you is like this is this is where I really love to live, you know what I mean, whether it be defining the writer or finding the artist, or or cultivating the album or your anr And you know, like what part of it like for you is like where you like get you get the smile and like, oh yeah, I'm about to kill this because this is what I you know, this where I like to get the hands dirty.
It's funny because when I started to look at there was pre pandemic generalists and multi hyphenans and all that was like not a thing. You were just like, girl, what are you doing? Like you're doing this, You're doing that, You're doing this. I don't understand. Like so much stuff was like post it. Now, I think everybody kind of figured out like it's okay to lean into your talents or your purpose or whatever your what you want to do.
But pivot.
Yeah, like the pivot right. It became a thing where I was like, hey, when I was doing that, y'all was like what are you doing? Right? So I think where I've learned that I love is helping people fill in the white open spaces. So whether that is away musically or an extension of a business that they don't see because it's learned that from Jimmy, or creating something that hasn't existed, or seeing a way through that's a challenge that could help something be bigger. That's the thing
that gets me like that. The challenging things is like you know, happily and also sometimes to my dismay, is the thing I love the most, And I say to my dismay because it's like the hard thing so right, Like it's like, oh, that's super hard.
To do that. You can't always find the pieces to the puzzle.
And I love to find the pieces to the puzzle. I love even now to talk to like young artists, young managers, like they're so stuck and you're like, oh, if you do this, did you ever think about And they just come away like, oh, you unlock something for them, you know. Or you talk to a business person, you know. I have a client, Malcolm Lee, who is a director
who you know, it's like he loves music. He's an amazing director and he loves music, always has And when I go back and look at his films and First Best Man and Girls, you just see how music plays a role in all of it. And you're like, how do I get more involved in music? How do I be more in the music and business? I'm like, and I remember staying him off for like years, being like, you don't want to be in a music business, like make movies, buddy, Like you don't want to do that.
But then when he called me during the pandemic and was like, you know, I'm still like. I was like, publishing, that's what you should do. You shouldtill publishing company. I'll help you do that. I help you figure that out. You're the director. Everything stops and ends with you, including the music choices all that. We should build a publishing company. So it's like those kind of things get me excited.
And then going to every you know, publisher and lawyers that were like, ah, but director with a publishing deal, like you know, and yeah, shocked how many people? And I was member like talking mad like no, I'm telling you, I'm telling you where some people in his life were confused. So it just wasn't common. And I'm like, they don't know, they just know that they're not in the music business.
I'm telling you, I'm telling you, you know. And finally, you know, publishers were like, oh yeah, you know like that, you know, well, how would that work? And this is kind of putting it together and being like getting the deal and it happened, you know, and now building the publishing company so so you know, now he's got you know, a publishing entity. So that stuff's fun to me, Like that's exciting of like that doesn't exist, or that's hard, or that's a challenge or that's my favorite part, like
and it just doesn't. It just it's whatever it's needed.
Right.
It's like I feel like I've always been a facilitator that I speak, you know, creative, but I also kind of have an organized mind and a real mean execution gun, right, and so those if you can compliment any dynamic you're in by activating any of those things, and if you don't make it about you, which I think I never have, That's why I was so nervous to do this, then you can really be a part of some cool things.
You know, you can you could you know, quolely be like, oh yeah, the first project I was ever like part of was like Lauren Hill, or like, yeah, I worked on Mary J. Blige's breakthrough album, or like I worked with Black Eyed Peas, or like I I music supervised
the Best Man, I produced and directed. You know, you like, after a while, your list just goes up and people are like my friends are always like damn girl, like, but in your mind at the time, it's just the thing that you're like, I think I could do that.
I've never seen you, like I've never seen you promote you.
No, I haven't. I've never seen you do that. You know what I'm saying.
Like even in having this conversation with you, it's like, oh shit, you know what I'm saying. It's like you do so much and I think it's this is why this conversation is needed, you know what I mean, because you're You're an inspiration to somebody.
I feel super honored because honestly, when I ran into Ja and Jay's like, you should come on the podcast, I was like, like the podcast is for like people like that do stuff. Like I literally was like Jay, like that's like, you know, my friends have been on the pot, like Mike I used to manage Rico Love who I adore, And I'm like, Rico's been on the podcast, like Tron Thomas, who I was like the first deal in Interscope.
But listen to what you're saying though, as you say, these people listen to your connection looking at this to the fibers like like.
Us, yeah, you when you go out and you hear.
A record like love to this Day, right like because even for me, I didn't write that song. I didn't I remember the little apartment that she played me the song and that dog that kept barking, that little.
Dog, and she's like, I know you don't like the dog, but.
He's not going to.
Just playing the song because I gotta get out of this apartment with this dog she'sus barking at me. So I hear it different than the audience. Yeah, right, And people that hear these things different than the audience should be on this show. To me, Yeah, whatever part you played in that, right, that is an album that you were a part of.
Get to wherever it got. And now this song, this song lives forever.
When I see the Little Kids Assembly Internet, I'm like classic, Wow.
Who would have thought?
Wow?
Now I knew it was a hit record. I did not know that Little Kids and an Assembly.
Would be singing in the second grade.
Twenty twenty four will be singing this record. I remember calling Keisha. I was mad that what's the song that I was in the video?
I was in the first two. I changed my I was mad that that was the first single.
It was love. Yeah, yeah, I was mad.
It's not my album, not my artist, but I'm mad. I'm like, Keisha, no, this ain't it. What is y'all doing what are they doing over there? Because for me, I was so attached to this song.
Yeah, that's why I got the with No pun inten I got New York.
Yeah, I was so in love that was with that song, you know what I mean that I was just like, nothing can come out before this record.
It obviously worked and the you know, I mean other two records they did cool, they did not like love.
Well, that was the thing. I think back then it was a progression. Nowadays like it's just like throw everything. But back then it was like we're going to introduce her and.
You used to get chances back in the day. Well, no, you get chances too, But there was a period where it was just like you got one shot at this year.
Yeah. Yeah, and she she was you know, you were telling her story, right, you were like, this is what you I changed my mind. She's on the block.
I mean it was la but you know, like, yeah, people still think we shot that in the back whoop, Sorry it.
Was in the bay, I said, was in l A. But yeah, and then you know, you got to learn her story and then she was in full glam in the middle of Times Square, you know, not even.
Know before that.
Yeah, I mean, because I said I was in the first two was I just wanted to be over Oh.
Well you know why that one? Yeah?
Yeah, yeah, that was the second video.
But then we but I'm saying we, and then then you get the movie, you know, and you get what's his name at the time, it was the big Everybody's music director, Benny. And then you're in Times Square like we gotta catch the flight. We got to get out of here in an hour. Yeah, and that was it. That was it.
She was But that's but that, you know, like people need to know.
The people, yea, who make these things happen, who are part of these things, who are the unsung heroes, who are the in the shadows. You know that this thing
doesn't happen by yourself. And especially in this day and age, this has to be spoken about because everybody keeps thinking that, you know, artists do it by themselves, especially now because of the Internet and because oh I just uploaded, Well after you upload it, what about that manager that reached out to you, that helped put you in a room with such and such, And then what about when they helped you get on another record or putting somebody else
on the remix for you to help the record continue to grow.
And what about the lawyer and what about the marketing.
Person and the A and R and all these other people, like listen, I am absolutely an advocate for independence because we should be able to lead our careers. But there takes a building, however you want to look at that, a team and a team to help you reach these heights.
Yeah, it just does.
Yeah, And I for me personally, I'm tired of people not mentioning.
The people who played the part.
I understand that. Ain't listen, I listen. I'm very grateful and appreciative. I think there's a part of me that's always going to be the little girl that's still like I just can't believe any of it happened. And I think there's a part of me that's like, you know, God is like it's always going to cover you, right, Like I'm always going to be covered in wherever I'm supposed to be or what's meant for me, And so I think I'm not I think self promotion is important,
Like obviously I had to think about it. I was like, let me think about it, and like, see this felt safe. I know y'all it's a nice show, like you talk about positive things show. Yeah, I don't want to get you know, yelled at and what happened in that did not to do. You're like, I'm like, I don't want to be on those shows, but I I but I still really feel like I was a part of a team.
Like like so it feels a bit and maybe this old school, I don't know, disingenuous to be like I was you know, I was this and I was that, and like there was hundreds of people that made all of these things happen, right, Like so many people, so you to be like stamping it all the time, which I think happens a lot now. It's just like as long as you say it louder, like oh, that's the person that did this, and you're thinking there's thirty people
back there that help do all that. So that for me feels weird because I'm like, just we've only just talked about Michelle, Thomas, manny Ron and Keisha and you as part of it. There's there were dozens and dozens watch I.
Think I think the beauty of it is as as as much as we would We're gonna get Michael Jordan, right, We're gonna interview Michael Jordan's, but we also we'd love to talk to Craig Hodges, bj Armstrong, We love to talk to Steve Kerr.
I'm not in my head like yep, I know exactly who that is.
Like, it's sports, it's team got.
It because all of those roles yea on that team vital.
Yeah, and your very vital part. Thank you guys, you're vital too. If Jay did not show up in that white T shirt, I'm not sure video would have got done that day.
From the baby, she definitely was like, I'm not about to be in no video with no nigga.
I don't know.
I'm like Larry was the love interest and girls loved him too to his day. At least we didn't try to make you body roll or anything.
No ever, Like it was just like a soap opera though, where I just just like the cheating boyfriend.
He was cheated and every video practically she should have cheated.
She made Yeah d on gin she did. She put Tyres in that she did?
She really, that's right, Ty was.
I was vixing once myself.
Santana wasn't another video. We just pulled people.
In me and Bryce Wilson wanted the same.
Bryce Wilson was part of convincing me to do the video too. Yeah, because he did.
The Tony practice video. I mean, shout out to other figs out y'all, I'll see you stick Erica.
You've worked on a lot of great music, a lot of great.
Artists, great artists.
I want to go back to when you were pulling out those sleeves and reading those lyrics.
Do people want to know? They want to know on this show, yo for sure? Top five?
Your top five, top five, your top five ay easing.
Call and me song.
We want to know you o this.
Out big for you? What was your pokop?
Fun?
That's why you was worried about it.
That's why this is.
Why Erica your top five car and B singers.
Oh singers okay mm hm, oh my goodness. You know I should have wrote this down and thought about it. It's never easy. I mean Stevie okay, yeah, sorry, probably Lufa yeah yeah. I don't feel like I don't feel like he gets it enough of the conversation. Yes he does, Okay, yes, okay, good beast singers. You know, even though his music is different now and he's newer, I would say Labyrinth.
Mm hmmm.
His voice is extraordinary. If you heard this song, the song Jealous that he wrote and sang like ten, I don't know, ten fifteen years. I mean it's the pureness of his voices. Yeah, I know. I mean it's all gonna mostly be old school. Oh it's mine, Anita.
Yeah. I love.
Singers. I'm trying to keep the singers. Philip Bailey, maybe.
Maybe Philip baby Love give him a full confidential spot.
Philip Bailey by the reasons, I mean.
False settle like none. Author, that's.
No stress, do it all?
Top five R and B song.
Oh my god, so so amazing.
To the moons?
Is it?
Luthers? Sorry? Is that so amazing? Is that the name of it? Yeah? That song kills me. Try a little tenderness, m yes, mm hmm. That's just lyrics, lyrics. Yes, you bring me joy?
Uh uh, that's just.
Like is you name these songs, like the care that went into production, the care that went into lyricism, the care that went into the.
And the way the performance of them was so meaningful, like whoever was bringing her joy? You was like, yeah, I'm a love girl.
So yeah, clearly.
Yeah, I'm a love girl. Oh my god, how did I miss Aretha on the other list? Yeah? Read the frank Oh my god? Oh what's the Wreatha song? Girl? I can't think now. Sorry. It's one of my favorites too. I'll come back to huh oh yeah, like where's my phone?
Oh?
Natural Woman? I was like, it's a big song. I just was like, why my brain won't let me again? The lyrics and the performance. You're just I want to feel like a natural woman? A refa is that five? I think that was fine too? Oh you counting? You know Valentine? You know what's Jay Valentine. It's probably gonna be between what's see the name? I don't know the names of songs. This is me all day, Like, what's how's the song going? Wake up everybody? No one want
to sleep in the world. Can't get no besting that if it's just let it be come on? No no, no, no, no, no, no, thank you?
That one.
That one? Please sing that song? Yeah, that would be the other one. That's fine. P yeah that song that makes me happy? Yeah? Yeah, that's it. I just yeah, I feel like.
I want to know what those sessions were, Like, I do too, you know what I'm saying to.
You, know what, moving on?
Know what, You're always here to bring us back, bring us back to the hood, bring us back to the hood. Thank you so much. I'm just a little girl making music.
News on my head.
Somebody had to figure out a way to fill up those shoe boxes of money. Don't tell the truth in here, Lord, don't.
You do it. I don't even yeah that those are Yeah, I would say that for me. So that's what that's what moves me. Is just like things about love and things that make you feel good. Everything else, you know, turn up, it's fine, But that's emotion.
Yea emotion.
Yeah, I think I think music should make you feel things like whatever that is, whatever you need that to be.
Yeah, we're gonna build a vultron. You're super R and B artists. So with this artist pick, you got to pick the characteristics from one artist, make this one artist, okay, from a bunch of de however many artists you want to pick from, Okay, but these are the characteristics we're looking for. We were looking for the vocal, the performance style, the styling, the heart of the artists, like the passion
of the artists. Okay, so what one vocal are you going to get to build your super R and B R. Just one there's one mm hmmm.
I'm probably gonna say Stevie because he has the most universal.
Every year, everywhere. Okay, all right, I just saw Stevie the other day. He went crazy like still like I was, I was crying on the inside crazy. I can see me crying.
I was like finished, Yeah, he's he's it, he's it. Yeah, he's it for me. Yeah, Okay.
Performance style.
This is going to be controversial.
I think.
Chris Brown yeah yeah, okay, I mean I know Michael Jackson and then for you Yeah, I just I think Chris is just extraordinary as a performer. He is leaves all the things on the stage.
Yeah I love that.
Sorry, old people, Hey, I'll be I'll be at every like this.
Yeah me too.
I'm like even when he's done in Afrobast, the way that he belongs the great word is extraordinary is different.
Yeah, he just it's he belonged. He never seems like he's got a place, never doing anything.
It's pretty well.
He does the work right there you go, there, you go, Like he does the deep dive, he's he's yeah, you say, where are you.
Doing this at? Okay, let's go over there and let's hang out with him and let's see what's going on. Yeah, food, and then he'll tell you about him. Yeah you heard about I never heard him. Well, yeah, he worked with him like he does the work, and that's to do.
Yeah, styling, the drip styling.
Hm, it's just hard because I don't care about the least like Marvin.
Mm hmm.
Maybe because he was just fly.
It's just fly, like just just anytime you.
Old photos of him with the thing, and like he just seemed so effortlessly fly.
I like that.
I like the down play. You know, I'm not trying to be cool, but I am. Yeah for me, Yeah, but yeah I'm not a drip, but I'm not the Yeah, I'm missing.
All the dripping.
Thank you. Okay, see thank you. I mean clearly I'm still wearing dirty converse, so obviously.
That's all right. The passion of the artists, oh gosh, who make you believe it?
There's so many. Maybe it would be between Marvin and Stevie. I think again. I just think they cared about music till it hurt. Marvin Wonder, Stevie Gay.
Yeah, I love that.
I feel like, yeah, I just feel like, at least for me, they just sound like they care so much or mars means get cared so much. But yeah, man, I just you can't be that, you can't create that and just not care with every part of your soul.
And and another another edition for you, big publisher, who's going to write for this artist?
Oh my gosh, yeah, oh my gosh. I mean I hate to be redundant, but I mean Stevie.
Amazing. He is one of the greatest of all.
I'm like, how do you miss that?
I mean Stevie, Stevie, like Stevie. Stevie's the guy.
Like, I mean, there's so many though, I mean, is the Rod Tempertons on the like, there's just I mean, there's just all the all the amazing penmanships of pens out in the world.
Yeah.
Writers are Writers are special, man. Okay, they really are. You y'all really are.
Thank you.
We try to, I mean because think about honestly, okay, because it's the flowers, right, it's you know, to express yourself in a way that is meaningful but also relate, can can touch so many people, right that that you can articulate emotions so well that people from anywhere can catch the same Like, yes, that's what I wanted to say. And then for yourselves, you can do it for you yourself, and you can also give it to another artist and they can have that same experience. That's such a gift,
Like that is such a gift. Like that part, to me is like nothing happens without that. And yes, the voices and the look and the drip and the performance and all those things matter, but like without that piece, there's nothing, like it's someone's humming and it's you you feel it, that's amazing, But there's nothing without that, like that story, that that feeling. That's to me, you know anyway. So to be able to do that is just like I'm always like I think that's also why because I
can't do it. So I'm like, oh, wow, you're really special, Like that's amazing, Like you said that that way, Like even when you think about like Phineas and Billy right, you're like, what were you thinking when you said that?
What?
How did you how? What?
I think most writers can't even truly explain it. Yeah, honestly, like you know, we all know each other and we all had conversations about you know, like you said, what were you thinking about her?
And it's just as you have the conversation.
Usually a veers yeah, it goes off into like wait, hold on, we were talking about yeah, oh yeah, but then was the how Yeah, because it's and we talk, we speak about this.
I think it's it's our form of magic. Yeah it is.
I mean when I said when I worked with Rico Love, I remember like he would do a song and you know, daddy song right like Usher, and I would be driving with the song playing like and I know, Rico, I worked with everything. How the hell did you write this song? Bro? Like it's amazing, amazing exists.
In this weird space where for us it's just like it's just kind of what we do.
Yeah, especially he's not going to booth and just you know, like I go in there.
And I get to test Rico Love, like this song like this week O he played this coming right up.
Ahead.
That's what I called you.
I mean, even like if you take Sean Garrett when he did Buttons, I was in the studio in Sean Garrett and poloed it Buttons, and I and I remember sitting there the beats playing the beats crazy and Sean is like, okay, take it back, take it back. And when you're watching it, like what the and next thing you know, it's like and you're like, yeah, yeah, that's what the studio like, yo, And it wasn't finished. You just were like there's just no way this this boy
is getting something. And that record was so huge, and I'm like that's the part like that, I guess that's what are you like your self promoting all that, Like I'm like, yeah, cool, Like but he was the one that was there with the thing coming through him on on the microphone and made that song like I just was there right like, So that part is like it's just such a gift. It's just a gift to be
in the room. And that's the part that I I hope we don't lose, Like I just hope we don't lose that because it is so so much gratitude, like truly even being here you guys, this is so fun with you. Okay.
Uh, I ain't saying no next day, saying no next.
What you did?
Don't say she.
Okay, there's just so many you guys have so many names not to say.
So you here right now this last segment of the show. All right, it's called I say names. Okay, well you tell us a story funnier, fucked up, funny and fucked up. The only rude to the game. You can't say no names.
Yeah. I was working one night in the studio with the producer that never would finish songs on time, so you literally have to stand over them and keep their train on the track, like you literally have to stand over them to get the songs done. Very very famous producer. So I was working trying to get them to finish
said song and what started at like seven pm. I think I got out of the studio at like one o'clock in the afternoon the next day to get the song done for my record because I had to be at a meeting with someone that I worked with, executive at another studio.
To discuss.
To discuss the an anxiety ridden producer who was upset that their song had been changed. So I thought I was going to be able to go home, take a shower, sleep, and all of these things. But I was being summoned to be at this other meeting, which was like at two o'clock in the afternoon. So I'm not cute I don't ever smell, but you know, I did put a sweatshirt on trudging over to said studio, and I was really asked to be there because I didn't know this
at the time, because the producer was pissed. I didn't know. I just thought it was a meeting between Producer A and big producer Executive B. It was not, and Producer Executive B knew that it wasn't going to be uncomfortable, and so I got invited over there with no sleep, with no shower, already frustrated from the night before, only to have to sit and listen to Producer A scream and curse out Producer B for changing a song on what was one of the biggest songs of that time period.
They didn't change it back. Song was a big hit, but I sat there and listened to screaming, and then I ended up being like the person in the room that was like, oh, you're you're my person, Like you're my person. So I look like the bad guy sitting in the room while Producer BE is screaming at Producer A about how the song got changed and was forever changed even though it was a hit. M So y'all
can figure that out and put that together. It's not maybe as juicy, and thus for us we know that in it was not comfortable because we had no power in the situation. And also like that was what used to happen all the time. So you're just like and I'm not the like and so now you're like, you're the label, you know. So that was bad too. But yeah, that's my little story. Hope it lived up.
Those uncomfortable moments.
Those are real situations.
It was bad and I was not prepared. I was tired, and it just was not I couldn't even say anything. It was just like, what do you got to say?
I was like, I didn't even know this was gonna happen because I think ship jamming, Yeah.
Could you imagine that that would be.
Exactly what he said, jamming me.
Eric.
We appreciate you.
You know you have a family.
Thank you guys. This is fun.
We we we all we all take each other back to humble beginning just when this ship was different, the.
New guy from Virginia that was gonna get.
Yeah from Maryland, from Maryland v the DV because I performed. I've performed at every church in Virginia. So it works, but you know it's it's it's been a great, great journey for you.
Thank you, thank you for having me.
We're happy to have you, happy to have you to give your story, your.
Your perspective and get an opportunity to speak on just what you've been able to do in this ship. You know what I mean, the work that you've been able to put in like whether you like to do it or not, it is important and it was needed.
Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.
My name is Take and this is the Army Money podcast, the authority on all things R and B. And this has been an episode with a family member who really does all things.
Thank you.