Goapele

R and B Money.

We are.

Take about that.

We are the authorities on all this R and B.

Ladies and gentlemen. My name is Tank. Yeah, I feel like that. This is the Army Money podcast.

On all things R and B. You know, soothing, soothing.

You know, as of recently, you know, a lot of a lot of artists, a lot of creatives have adopted a vibe you know now they now, they now they.

Have a vibe. Yeah. Some of us are just the vibes, you know. Some of us are. Some of us have.

Been the the vibe for quite some time. Very angelic on so many novels, all level visually, artistically, the gifts I mean, I mean they they span countries and she is not from this place.

The world cred the world, craigh.

Normally I'm loud during this part of you know, j just reminded me that this is this is a five episode, so we're gonna stay right in here. Makes noise for.

Gap whisper intro.

Yeah we got it. Set the moon.

Candles, but still the energy.

Yeah, yeah, because they know what it is when they see you do this camera, that's your camera. Give me quappoly, what does where does Quoppoly come from.

Well, it's my grandmother's maiden name, wow, and it's really.

Pronounced say it again.

You did excellent, But I would say since I was really little, it's been mispronounced in like a thousand different ways. It's a sound African names, So gap is how I've been saying it since, you know, association.

Because what she was saying is that the money come along with the essence. You know what I'm saying, y'all don't really.

Know, y'all don't I'm yes, yes, and it means go forward, and.

I don't know.

It took me a minute to grow into it. And I feel like that's kind of how my music has been. It's never really fit in exact like genres, just like growing into what I am and you know, hoping that people get it.

Well.

People have had to play ketch up on what you were doing because for me, my first time hearing you the only person that I could even talk about in that space or you know, put you kind of next to with shade.

Yeah, well I love hearing that, you know, and.

You know what that those two energy like that's it was it. Now everybody's you know, now everybody's picking picking the fruit of the vibe Tree, which is great. You know what I'm saying, Like we we we want that, we wanted to grow and become this thing, you know what I'm saying.

But you know, I just I remember you.

Being yeah, yeah.

I feel like when I started, I was like I was really nervous about the industry because I was like, it's not straight up R and B. It's not st I don't even know if soul, like neo soul was like just about to be a category when I was recording. By the time I put out music, neo soul was a genre.

But it's like I loved jazz and blues and everything in.

Between, and I was like, I'm just gonna write these songs and I'm gonna start performing and.

We'll figure it out.

You love the music, yeah, And I loved hip hop, but I wasn't a rapper.

And it's a certain thing of obviously being from the home, from being from the Bay Area and just that melting pot of music for sure, of so many things like you said that, there's there's jazz, there's hip hop, there's church, there's you know what I mean, there's Tony Tony Tony, you know.

What I mean they created.

It's just when you start going and and all of those artists that you just named and groups are all different.

Yeah, nothing the same.

So imagine you know, you grow up in that and like you said, South South African parent, you know what I mean, Like you have a whole nother mindset of you know, where your music can go and what it can be and just and I think as much as you know they always regional wiss you know that with the you know, the whole area thing, we still we don't have a we don't have a seiling for ourselves though, Like we just try music.

Yeah, and it's such like an indie vibe, and like because.

We're gonna put it out, it's gonna come out either in the trunk.

And that's how it started, you know what I mean, Like pressing up a thousand CDs and selling them as shows and out of the trunk and consignment at stores until it was like we don't just want to we want a box. And it was like they're going to buy a box of CDs. Oh more stores want them. We need real distribution, you know.

So you guys were going, you and your team skyblaze, right, you guys were going from store to store.

Yea, literally it was like a meeba.

Yeah, I remember Balanced was Balance working at Rescue.

Yes he was.

He was.

So he was an artist, super talented guy.

Yeah, and he's now but now he's like a scriptwriter I want to say. I want to say he is one of the writers on like blind Spotting or something. Yeah, he's doing his ship. But he used to actually be like the purchaser at resputen. But he was an artist and he was like fully tapped into everything that.

Was going on.

To you life show.

You got to hit Balance some you know, some hundred CDs over there and they would moving around their stores. So that was that was the cool thing about being from the Bay too, is that you could really there were there were places for you to be independent, for sure, but I didn't know y'all were for me. I always thought y'all had some form of distribution, So initially y'all didn't.

It took it took a minute, and I think, you know, we presented in that way from the beginning and just wanted to have quality, like no one needed to know how small it was starting, you know what I mean. But the idea was like if we build it, and I can build a fan base that they'll be like a demand. So if I do a major deal, I won't be shelved or I won't have to prove myself. It won't be about the marketing. It'll be like people are already requesting something, you know what I mean, So

I remember meeting with.

A guy and and.

You. He had your CD on his desk.

At this point, I had never heard of you yet, And I was kind of back and forth between LA and San Francisco and this before I started the whole City Boys music thing with Bailey, uh, and we were just kind of you know, I was taking meetings, yeah, you know, I had met with with the Italian gentleman who who was doing some stuff in the Bay Area, and he was like, yeah, you know this this new girl Scoppoly and I'm like he was talking about kind of you know, the numbers that you were doing, you

Yeah, that's what it felt like.

And if it made you smile, like when I heard your music, that's how it made me feel.

And you know you're from this same era too.

We come from mob music, very street, you know what I mean, the old forty days.

Yeah, the the you know what I'm saying.

You know what I'm saying, Like not just forty forty in the clique of those people don't know about click is mob music, you know what I mean. So growing up in that RBL posse and rapping Fote and Saint Quinn and you know what I'm saying, and JT de Big Figure all these things, and then when I heard your music, I was like, Yo, this shit makes me smile mm, Like this feels really good. And that's and that's what I've always attached personally to you and your music.

Everything great, cause it's like for me, music that I relate to, like, I want the basslines and the drums to feel like you could hear it, you know what I mean down the street.

Yeah, you want it to.

But what I want to say and the energy I want to put out is I want a positive impact on the world. So it's like there's you know, certain stuff I'm not going to say in my music, but I want the feeling to be a combination.

Yeah, you know what I mean.

And I feel like all those influences are in me. But I'm happy that it that it felt happy inside. And I grew up I was born in Oakland, but I grew up in Berkeley and Oakland.

So O, wow, that's what it felt like to.

Slice of blindise Pizza girl out there.

Better know where you're from here? So when did okay? When did you know that you were? Was?

Was Wapa always going to be your stage name? And and when did you know that okay?

Was she like little Rashita at first?

Right?

Right?

What was going on?

What was the younger.

Was?

What was it was?

I think when I was.

I always like from a really young age, I'm gonna say like from eight years old, I felt like I wanted to be on the stage.

And I would see like my.

Parents' friends, like some of them were South African artists. I would watch my parents would bring us to live shows, you know what I mean. It was all ages, but we might be the only me and my siblings be the only kids in there, you know what I mean, Like I don't know if we're supposed to be here, but I was just picking up on the vibe. So I always felt like that's something I want to do.

Just kept moving.

Yeah, when did you feel like you like really had something, because probably coming up, you know, with the family going to the shows and all those things, it was probably something that was normal. Yeah, yeah, yeah, were just singing having a good time.

It is Yeah, my brother was a DJ.

I would just like sing over a you know, hot instrumental.

When did you realize it was something? Or when did somebody tell you, no, no, this is you need to take this serious.

This is real.

I think inside of me, I felt it from when I was really young, but I didn't know if I would have any success, but I knew I had that vision for myself, and I think I was just doing it.

Like it was.

You know, I would go to like a lot of conferences and stuff like that and I would just sing instead of talk because it was my comfort zone. And I liked the emotional connection and I liked seeing that it could affect people. And that they would feel something. But I don't know if I believed I would have success, like in doing my own music. But in high school, I was like, I'm going to take this seriously and like I went to Berkeley College of Music. It was like the only.

School I applied to and.

For a hot for a hot minute, you know, I didn't finish. I didn't finish, but I met some of the earliest collaborations. Like I went to school with Jeff Basker, who's like an amazing producer and songwriter. We did the first songs on my first album for school projects. I was like, you know what I mean. We only had to write like sixteen bars. But I was like, I want to write a song. I'm here to write a song.

I forgot the beginning of the question because I.

Started going off on though just about you, you know, really seeing if this was a real thing for you. Yeah, you know when you start feeling that for yourself.

Yeah, I mean I think that doubt kind of creeps in in and out. But I was gonna.

Make the steps, I feel.

Like, from early on, and when I was starting to write music, like I was saying, I didn't know if there was a place for me, but.

I was just gonna do it anyways, you know.

And I just feel like I've always tried to have my own measures of success because our ELSA is just like so intimidating.

It's like almost anything can feel like not enough.

Have you ever done anything.

Else besides independent?

You mean I'm talking about like like I've worked with kids. I used to work with kids a lot when I was younger. I considered being like a childcare provider, teacher.

You could.

Account trying to come up to the school all the time. I'm just checking on my kids, make sure it's the right thing. How you doing today? I thought, uh also brought these flowers. I don't you know, I don't want.

To come up with as something organic organ as a.

Gesture for just you know, teaching my kid the right way, you know, just really pouring into him, uh the way we pour into each other.

I don't know.

Anyway, No, I love that, and I was like, it's just that's tiring work, Like teachers need to get paid more money out. Absolutely, I am not going to be able to multi task working with kids and doing music. I was doing retail for a little bit. I was like working in restaurants, and honestly, I love all those things, but I think I would be sad if I wasn't also doing music. Yeah, yeah, and so all those little jobs.

It's kind of crazy, like.

When was that. It was that moment, you.

Know what happened.

I was like, I was working retail and I think I was like nanny and it was I was getting I was starting to do like background stuff. I was performing with Spearhead, and it was just like the scheduling was getting in the way. And then like for shows, the scheduling was just getting in the way. So I was like, I can't prioritize this over this, So it just was kind of natural.

Yeah, you just took you took the steps to where like I mean, Jake, me and Jay talk about it all the time, like you have to make sure you can take care of yourself.

Yeah, until it can take care of you.

No, that's real, that's real, and I think sometimes people don't understand that concept. Yeah, it's like you can like a starving artists, Like you don't really have to be starving though.

Like you can make sure for yourself, you.

Know what I'm saying, do your art until it takes over and then quit whatever else you were doing, you know what I mean.

Wow, Yeah, we've kind of we've kind of become advocates for that of, you know, taking care of yourself because you put yourself in a position where someone's taking care of you. Now it's more advantageous for them and everything is on their side.

It not even might not be for free free.

Yeah, but it seems like it is, I think to some people.

And thank god because they're promoting it that way.

Yeah, and thank god I was able to work like that. My family was like, let's do this, you know what I mean?

Because guy, thank you.

Shout out to Nmani and THEO. But I think it can be confusing when people are coming up because it takes putting in a lot of work until you start making cool money. Some people blow up overnight, but sometimes overnight is ten years, you.

Know for sure?

Yeah, for sure. Multiple deals are multiple. I thought I had a deal, or I don't want to.

Take a deal. Can you kind of give us because your your career.

Has been based around your independence as well, Like you've done very well in an independent space. Like people look at you. They don't just look at you as an independent artist, so they just look at you as a as a major artist.

It's neverthless like oh.

Yeah no, well she's doing no. So you guys were able to build this thing up, like can you give us some of the you know, like the background in that and just spending your own money, yeah, you know, booking your own studios.

Yeah, you know, building our own studio, building it, you know what I mean, Like with an advance, it's like we could have just gone to like the dopest, most expensive studios and been like, yeah, book it out for this month, Yeah, book it out for next month. But for me, I was always like to change, change to change, to change, Like that's more for me, you know what I mean? More recooping.

What does this mean? Recooping?

And so we were like, let's take some of that money, build our own studio out and then I can go as much as I want. I'm not on the clock, Like I don't. I don't need that pressure. And I love the idea of ownership. I like feeling empowered.

I don't you know.

I I like feeling like my own boss. So it's kind of like, however that can work.

Hair makeup.

Look, I'm still doing my I'm not doing my own hair. I'm still doing my own makeup except for like look for you know, photo.

Shoots and certain things. Thank god, you know, I know all these great people that can work with me. But I think because of how I started, I was always aware of like there's a price to all of these things, and some of it is for sure worth paying for, but I know that on the back end, I'm gonna have to give it back. So like, if this is something I can do, you know what I mean, I'm gonna do it myself. Myself, myself, give.

Us when that record first hits. When I say that record closer, the song that you close your eyes to and imagine that everything is gonna be all right.

To this day, I've been in there.

I remember after me and got met and got cool, she had invited me to a show.

And what was that?

It was that It's like it's a it's a legendary venue in l A.

Too.

It's like off of Centemony, not the l Rights. It's next to that legendary steakhouse Dan Tony's Trueba door, Truba door upstairs. I'm upstairs at the troupe door door. She comes on stage, she floats on the stage. Just put that there. She floats onto the stage. Everyone closes their eyes and looks up.

I don't.

I don't know how that really makes it like.

You're gonna look up just when you do this, you do you do wander off until the whole building.

Yeah, And I was like, oh, this is amazing. Am I high? Yeah? I don't do drugs, drugs. I'm not high.

I feel high, amazing feeling, amazing feelings. So please tell us when that record first cracked or.

What was the processing cracking?

Yeah, yeah, because are y'all literally taking this record store to store.

Yeah, you know what.

I was working with AMP Live from zion I and Mike Tiger from the Bay Area, and I that was just like the intro to the album.

To my e P. It was the Yeah, it was the intro thing he's been you never know because those interlud.

Pressure. I didn't know.

It's like, it's not the pressure of a song.

I got smoke I got a smokey one.

Here wait to hear your.

Inter It was like, I was pretty much done with the project, but this is like an EP.

This is like no distribution.

This is just like these are the songs that represent me and I'm gonna put them out into the world. And I have been working with AMP Live with for a Zion Eye project and he was like, I think you're gonna like this track, like.

This is a cool vibe.

And as soon as I heard it, I just kind of heard a little something like it's one of the only songs that it just felt like it was in the.

Air, and I was like, I should go.

To his studio and just put down a basic idea and I can come back and like flush it out because I'm like the Queen of overthinking things, you know what I mean. Yes, And so it's one of the few songs that I've ever done that I just kind of was like, just record it, like without me thinking it too much. It was just kind of like this higher like I know sometimes I feel like this, but it's just kind of this in between space of like I know I'm on my way, I'm not there yet.

And so.

It was not that because it was just a feeling. And then we were like, we'll just start the project out this way because it's a vibe. And then it was on the b side of childhood Drama was like the first single that we gave to came on.

It was like, my emotion is childhood children trying to get no record?

Youre trying to get no radio play.

I don't know what I was thinking.

I don't know what, but it was over that Dolly my Baby right and I got you know, we were into like dance hall and all that, and so closer was on the other side, just like to get a taste of the.

Album and that song. I don't know.

People were just gravitating towards it more. And when we were giving people.

The project, they were just like this, like I.

Really feel that, And then it ended up getting played on the radio.

Was there a DJ that identified the record early?

I would say my emotion, my emotion was on it Earth that was like a thousand maybe you know what I mean, And it ended up getting on radio like different cities, different years. Like talk about a slow burn and trust the process. That's like literally like two thousand.

It's not like you had a radio run. It's not like you had a you know, team.

Or not at that point, not at that point. And it would be like they do like the seven.

And seven between two thousand and two thousand and four.

I'm not playing And because I then did a deal with Sony or sky Blaze did a deal with Sony, and so then we put it. They wanted to put the song on the album again, and I was like.

Oh, that song is old, blah blah blah.

But I.

I just was like, Okay, if this is like the only thing that I'm leaning on, just put it on there. And thank God, because some people would never hear my first album and you know, the second album. Yeah, and and so some people are like, I've been rocking with you since the beginning two thousand and five when you first put out that song.

I'm like, but I'll take it, and I love it and I appreciate it.

And then people have like, you know, remixed it, and so people come to it however they do. But it really was like, I don't know a phenomenon that I didn't imagine, and it's still going.

It's like that record is still new to certain people, and it's one of those records. It's just it doesn't get old.

It doesn't get old. It's like the mc introsion.

To representation of when someone wants to play a Bay Area R and B. They you're the first choice. That is the first choice for the Bay Area R and B record, You're going to play closer.

I know even associated that with like I mean now that we're having this conversation and feeling the vibes from it, Yeah, you know from somebody who was in d see and.

Yeah, got Hit was a big supporter. Oh absolutely, no, You're you're tailor made. Se tailor made.

And they supported so much live music, Like I feel like.

We had a lot of like live like Blues Alley and those type of things. People could come and those those three hundred three hundred people and like it was like you could be Birchres.

They foot this fire to what I ain't gonna the food is fire where the birch Mire at. I used to have a time at the Birchmere. Man, you took me back. Yeah, yeah that's a cool spot.

Fun and live.

And I always worked with live musicians since the beginning, and.

Really you always had a band from the from the.

From the well start, in the very very start, Like before my album came out, it would just be like me and DJs and I'm just performing over instrumentals, you know what I mean. I do like my own version over you know, Noriega.

Over very hip hop records.

Yes, maybe dance hall, but mostly hip hop records, and so it could be like it was just fit in the party, like you know how you want to get on right now?

Yup.

And then when I started writing music, it was super lot. Some of it was like straight up live and some of it was over tracks. But I wanted to have you know, probably from going to Berkeley in Boston, I really wanted to have live musicians. And thankfully, like I

But I.

Can dance for you know, for.

Fun, because you know he wants it, because I can.

Dance, because I can dance, and you know, we should be able to dance.

I feel like, yeah, for sure, I want to.

Do if you want to do some fivey dance, it's closer, I see.

But it's like the thing is like all my stuff, what I gravitate to sing to, It's like it's gonna.

Be slow, it's gonna be back.

It's not gonna be the same stuff that I'm like driving around dancing.

You know what I mean.

I'm s I would respect it.

I wouldn't mind if I broke into a little something.

I wouldn't.

He wouldn't be mad his damn dance on CD I do that ship was coming off of that as an indie artist, when closer breaks for you, what is the process of now these labels coming. Did y'all have a full like bidding war going or were you guys just on some you know what, we're not taking none of these meetings. We're meetings.

Yes, what they're saying, I'm taking all the meetings because it's like the more you take, the better the option of Like, well this person is offering this, so what are you offering? Yep, I'll come to New York and have a meeting.

Yep.

L A like I was down to meet with everybody because I just wanted the best option and I wanted to feel at home. I wanted to feel like I wouldn't have to compromise. I wanted to feel like, I don't know, like they believe in me and they trust what I'm doing. And really it's just like faith and luck.

You know what made you decide on going to Sony?

What's the bag or was.

It the I don't I'm gonna be honest with you, I don't know exactly. Like the people that I was meeting with were nice. What was it over some of the other labels. I'm not exactly sure, to be honest, I think they were still gonna like, let us do our own thing.

And that's a that's a big part. When somebody makes that investment in you, you lose freedom. You do lose freedom, Yeah, because now you playing with somebody else money. Yeah yeah, so I get that. And were you guys able to have that freedom once the project came out?

Yeah yeah yeah, because like I said, we were like, Okay, let's get all this equipment, you know what I mean, like for our studio and build headquarters and like and continue to.

Build it out. And I had an A and R that I feel like was so open.

He wasn't controlling and I was willing to put I had the drive, you know what I mean. So it wasn't like someone had to be like, come on, you know what I mean, get in there. So it was just like we're just gonna keep doing things as we have been, you know, but like with some more support.

So that process for you, if you could go back on it, would you go and do a major deal again? Or like looking at it because you know, like we've talked about it, you've been an independent artist, You've done a major deal. When you look at the you know, the landscape and if there's a you know, a young artist watching this and how you've gone about it, what were the positives and the negatives in that space?

I don't feel like looking back, I don't have much regret. I think that I would still do it for the most part the same because there was more exposure, you know, and just like a way bigger team, you know, working with a major. It wasn't a trading It was kind of a partnership. So it was different for me than maybe it would be for an artist. Singly, going in.

Partnership was based on you already have having six success Yeah, and there.

Was still sky Blaze. So there was still like.

A unit around me that was helping regardless you know, of Sony. But of course we didn't have the money that Sony had, you know, like there was some radio support and some tour support and and all of those things that just seemed natural that when I went back to being independent, I was.

Like, Okay, you know what I mean, it can.

Be it can be humbling sometimes, you know, not having all of those extra things, you know, and that those extras. Man, I'm saying because it's just like things just happen, and it's just like, oh, this is just how it is. Like when your song starts getting played more, you just have all these things, you know.

You think it's just the record.

Yeah, and there's like you know what I mean, like people are opening those doors, you know. So I recognize all of that. So I think I wouldn't do that different. I think if anything like in my career that I regret is like not collaborating more like that kind of stuff used to just make me nervous.

And yeah, a.

Feature she was just nervous. Guys, she didn't.

I think it probably comes off like.

I don't know how it comes off, but I know that, like, I've gotten some amazing tracks from people that I was fans of, like big producers that I was fans of, But I just it was hard to rise to the occasion sometimes, you know, or different artists that I could have worked with that I.

Was just like, I just don't feel like I have the right thing for.

This Victoria's Secret commercial.

Oh my gosh, I forgot about that because I love Victoria Secret and that was like one of the that was like one of the goals. Yeah, play made it into that. Wow, this song I did that, I felt like that was perfect.

I hope that happens again.

Video. You were in the video. I was there. What you mean talk about it? Did you edit you out?

What is that?

When this is going even way all day? Did? Wait? That was a nice lobry? Wait day. I didn't bring it up. I didn't bring it out. I was at the video shoot. It was there there. You know it is.

I probably said, jake up a picture of me at the video. In the video, you didn't make the in the video.

Wow, this is like selective memory.

It happened.

If you went to the editing bank man, just just slide over. Just that's the shot we need. That's the shot we need right.

To see, like what if that was?

What if you had a grudge on me? Ever took it in a certain kind of way.

And wait until everybody podcast to bring it up. I've been wanting to talk to you, you know about some ship that went down.

Listen, that is great?

What was that about?

No?

No, no, listen.

And it wasn't like I was the interest in the video you're going to make?

It came, making came.

And then the direct captain and your.

I'm just saying, made me a full video.

Full video hotline confusing. The director was like to distraction.

We can't have all of this because that niggabout here.

I don't remember who the director was. Now I know what they want me in her video? It's her video. Okay, what is what is right now?

What is right now? Well, I'm finally about to put out a new project. And thank you. I didn't realize every.

Five years, what's maybe maybe it's not been on purpose?

I think I don't know.

I like to marinate. I want to have something to write about. I want to have something to say a little bit. I want to be inspired.

She makes us way. Just let them wait, let them wait.

And it's gonna be a lot of feeling right it comes up, but I do so sometimes wish I worked faster.

It's a goal, but I don't know.

You're here, So I'm here.

Apparently what you're doing and the way you're doing it.

It's working in some kind of way.

So I had a dream about this too, you did. I don't call it daja who, I call it confirmation.

Okay, Okay, this has happened. It's happening. Okay, Yeah, I told you how to dream about it. And I.

Like that when that happens, because it feels like you're in the right place. So I started writing these songs like during the pandemic because I had nothing but time on my hands and sitting still in no distraction. And it didn't happen right away, but after like a couple of months, it was like, oh.

I get it.

It's going to be a while.

I don't have that many zoom meetings, so I should be doing something and you know, like recording on my own, like reused, like relearning how to use pro.

Tools and logic.

That's how it was.

To excuse me, I'm stuck.

I can't do it.

Come on, man, you gotta he said, But but bro the COVID I said, Man, come on over here. Man, I'll stay by the microphone. You stay by, we'll be fine. At some point, Ruby just said, Bro, I can't do it. I can't. I can't do it. You see what's going on. I'm not coming over.

You probably have parties over there too.

No, I wasn't. No, it's just me.

It'll be Ruben after we did the second EP, said I'm done, Tank, I'm done with this.

I'll be back when it's safe.

I'm going back to the mountain. I'm going back to the mountains. I'll be back when it's safe.

He's showing up. You did two projects. Yeah, yeah, it was just it.

Was just you know, vocal. It was super easy.

Wow, how I do?

Is that where you go?

Okay?

So it took me a little longer, you know, but it let me just like really have my guard down and just really think about what I want to say and just really be in the moment and work with different musicians to like build songs up. I would sit with Errol Cooney, who I've been working with guitar player for years, and Bedrock would send me tracks and Mike's Tiger and all these people, and it got to be a slow, unrushed process that I was that I could feel like, Okay, I'm done with this. I'm at peace.

So are you almost done with the project now?

Yes, I'm done with this project. Colors color because it because I just want to get more into the sensory world. I'm like one of those synesthigic people. I don't know if you guys heard it, you know where Yeah.

I don't even know what that word is.

It's like where you're senses. I didn't know that was a name for it.

It's like you know, your sound.

Bathing, I know what's going on.

You can make anything sound good. It's like we're your senses mixed together. So when you hear music, you see it in a certain way, and it's like certain colors and certain and so I just want to express that more with this album.

So is it like color is a colore?

So you know, it's just colors.

Use your talents, man, my talents.

Man.

Ston't want to.

Just be all chest one, you know, you fee. You've been doing this music thing for quite some time. I'm sure there are people who've been inspired and their gifts have You're magnificent your own things. So from there, I think you can probably give.

Us a.

Top five, your top five, top five, your top five.

Ray singers, A Rangy Songs, Crawdle Lace, top crawmle l paulsy Don.

Yes, Rumbling h.

Yes, your top.

Clapping Leise top Fi.

Wow, wow, yeah wow here a week did you clap for yourself a little bit?

A little bit, a little bit there was a void needed. One more hand.

Out?

Your top five R and B singers. Mhm, I can't wait to hear this.

Okay, my genres are going to be at New York.

That's what I expect. That's what I expect.

But there's always R and B in it, Okay, okay, sure. So I would say Stevie Wonder, I would say Prince. I would say, I'm gonna put DiAngelo in there.

Why wouldn't you?

Yeah, And I'm going to put.

Anita Baker and baby Face in there.

Come on, that sound like a tour. That sound like a tour, don't I don't see it. I'm standing the crowd. I ain't going back, going back there.

That's a great top five. That is an amazing top five.

I mean there was really so much more.

But yeah, right, okay, right now, that's the five top five R and B songs.

I would say, Adore Prince, join inside my tears, Stevie, wonder you're going there? I know I like the I like the sad stuff, but I'm like, what would I never want to fast forward through? I would say angel Anita Baker. I would say, right, so beautiful every time, let it burn. Jasmine Sullivan, M one more again, D'Angelo hm hmm.

One more again. That was a di'angelo fanatic.

Yeah, you're making an R and B voltron Okay, super artists. You got to get the vocals from somebody, the performance style from somebody, the styling from somebody, and the passion of the artists, the heart of it.

Who are you getting the vocal from? Wait?

Where you say styling.

It the drip we get into it. There we go. Who are getting a vocal from to build your perfect artist?

That one vocal maybe Jasmine Sullivan. I think her voice is so beautiful, she.

Get on under her no flaws in her voice. Yeah, nothing performance style.

You can get that from performance style?

How do I interpret that on stage? How they you know what they do on stage?

I'll say, Rihanna, mm.

Hmmm, styling the drip of the artists.

Oh see, maybe I.

What do you think?

Okay, I want to put her there?

You will put her in the styling space.

The performance that I'm gonna have to come back to that one, I would say.

Oh, because I don't want to.

Can I come back to the performance one?

Okay? So in the drip you want to go Rihanna? Nice? Okay, Well, now let's go back to the performer.

No, I want to go to the other.

She's pointing at my finger. I'm trying to That's where I want to. That's where That's where I want to be.

I'm trying to keep up.

You're great.

The heart of the artists, the passion of the artists, Prince, I can argue that.

Yeah, staring, but see maybe his performance probably.

Okay, So which one. Let's go back to the performer mm hmmm.

No I would put him.

I would say, for the heart, like the passion, I would put shot in there in one of those performance. But see, I like the passion of Prince's performance, but I like some of her delivery, so it's.

Like a Prince performer with Prince passion or Prince.

Rihanna's close with Rihanna's close. SU's voice, I'm rolling, I'm okay, what else.

You got over here?

Segment before we let you a body dance too fast because you might you know, don't you might get nervous.

I don't want you to get nervous. I ain't saying no names. I ain't saying no names. I ain't saying no names. I ain't saying no names. Who you was? Who? Don't say she? I ain't saying no names.

I want to do a TV show and YouTube.

Definitely, he's definitely man. He's definitely man. So very important part of the show. Segment.

Yes, it's called I ain't saying no Oh yeah, you know you might need another wat because that okay, you probably running water?

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.

Because this this segment is about the travels, the journey of Cooppola and some ship you might have seen, some ship you might have experienced. You tell us a story funny or fucked up? Are funny and fucked up? The only rule is you can't say no.

Names, Okay, will you guys tell me yours later?

It is like if I show you guys my diary, I can't be by myself. I got some funny ass stories stories.

I think I got one.

Okay, So right now.

We are going into Gowopola all the way from the bab.

I ain't saying no names.

There was.

I would say, this is like a early on Maybe this is like early early two thousands and I was probably just starting a tour and I got invited to do a show in Selma, Alabama for Bloody Sunday.

It was like a.

They redo the march across the bridge right like community festival, and it was probably you know, balling on a budget.

We probably had like a red eye.

Had to get ready like at the spot because it was like an early show and all of this stuff, and I just remember getting ready. I remember it was hella hot and it was like a good sized crowd out there, you know, but people work hot, and we might have been running, like we weren't running behind schedule, but the thing was running a little bit behind schedule, and so I remember the organizer came back and they were like, is it cool, Like if you're not in too much of a rush. We might have to switch

And blah blah blah blah.

And I was just like okay, you know, like of course, I all roll with it. And sometimes it can be nice. You're moving up in the in the water. Yeah, right, So it's kind of like even though I was, I was ready.

To go, but maybe because it's hot, but maybe.

You know, this is a better look. And they didn't tell me who the person was, and then said artist you know, gets announced and it was a really warm reception. You know, it's mainly women in the audience, and this artist is killing it, proceeds to take off their shirt all grease, suck work the crowd, get into the audience. I'm telling you. It was like the show was coming to an ending and I was like, what.

The what type of what are we about to do? And we're just watching this amazing artist.

Yeah, and then I had to go on after that, you know what I mean, And I just felt like I couldn't rush to closer soon enough, you know what I mean.

I gotta kill this.

I gotta because you don't want the energy to go down, you know what I mean? And like, you know what I mean when I met you later familiar.

Familia, you asshole.

But it makes it great is when you were saying it, I've been out there.

That sounds like.

This is an amazing yo.

Name you know this brother if you don't mind, he's just gonna go beforehand because he needs to catch a fight.

And we're like, hey, this is what.

As you started telling the story, I'm like, that.

Sounds from it killing it? Yes, shirt off?

No.

Even before you got there, I was like, Selma, I was like, I've.

Been there, and I just I wanted to act. I wanted to.

Remember that we were on the show, but we've been on so many shows together.

I want to know you were gone by the time I got on stage, so you want to remember my part?

Oh man, that's awesome.

Oh yeah, it was very memorable. It was very memorable. I was like, I need the details when they switch up these lineups next time.

Make sure it's not a nigga who's gonna take his shirt off.

Okay, the oil up in the sun.

It was definitely up in the sun.

Walking through the crowd.

He was like serenading everybody individually.

Oh my god, it was.

Correct.

You can touch this is great. That is that is a It might be the greatest of all times.

Yes, I think about that every time I see that.

You never told you, never told me that. I ain't saying your name. If I tell you the.

Story to you, it sounds familiar.

I just started crying because I was like, I know where this is going now.

I didn't have to go.

It was a good show.

Though.

It was a good show.

You want to thank her for it. Thank you for your flight flight. You were awesome. You were awesome for that.

You were awesome, even though it was it was painful at the time.

We'll do another showy.

Yeah, but I was like, man, okay, be ready, put your game face on, get out there and do not disappoint. After this man just left the stage like with They were kind of just like, okay, but.

You knew this was coming.

That's how it goes, you know.

But that's also part of being a professional in this business. Those type of things happen.

All the time.

Yeah, you were just gracious enough, But sometimes artists are just like no, no, Jahams said no, he said, James said Jahams said.

No because they probably said your name.

No. After I performed, I got back to the spouse like, are you supposed to be on stage?

No? You can have a champ that's all you. Baby. I was like, what, sure, turn, it's your turn.

I heard that I.

Ain't on that tonight. I ain't on that tonight.

Okay, but see, you're right, it is it. It's such a roller coaster in this industry, and it's like you can't burn bridges. You can't get too comfortable being treated a certain way, or even in humbling situations, you might have the next day or the next moment be this like amazing moment, or you never know who's gonna be there, that's gonna you know, you just never know, and you gotta just rock with it and try and have the best attitude possible because it's like the circles come back around,

I get his ass moment. I actually got kicked out of the video. Okay, that's true.

But you would make all the dopest remixes, right, I was.

None for stealing people's records, but that was I wasn't making money off of them.

But you know what, but you were still but you were still building your brand. For me, it's like you're making money, Yeah, I know what I mean.

But ultimately, the funny thing is I didn't do a lot of shows, so I really wasn't making.

I was just getting played on the radio.

I was getting paid, but but I wasn't. I also wasn't submitting the songs as my record, so I never got in the way of anybody else's publishing. So for those songs, which.

It just wasn't it wasn't my thing, you know. I was purely doing it.

To have fun and like, oh this would sound dope more so than oh, I'm gonna use this record to try to become big off of somebody's record or I was just like, but you were.

Doing and that's like kind of how we came up. Yeah, it's kind of just like how to.

Version because it's.

Like a bunch of rappers basically, and it's like, how can you keep the vibe high but.

Do your version?

You know, like I'm sprung and all that, you know what I mean, All of those and like I was just doing this show me and Dougie freshmorn it the other day, and he was afterwards just talking about like the importance of rocking a crowd. He was like, whether it's your music or a cover or whatever, it's about like when we do live shows, it's about the energy of the crowd, you know what I mean, and lifting that up more than us trying to, you know, do whatever. So like we loved all.

Those songs, you know, I was just trying to have a good time.

You were having a good time, not to get sued, and shit, I feel you.

He's back now.

Now he's gonna put up his own yeah, now you know, and somebody can still my then I'm fine with it.

I'm not sading nobody. Season. It's just half rock out, half of rock out. Keep the music on, keep the energy going, more the better.

Yeah, this shit gonna live on one way other Are you hope that did that?

Thank you?

Thank you for having me.

I honestly like, I love your guys' show. I love you guys individually and just what you've done in the different ways. And I remember, like even you doing I can't make you love me, you know what? I mean and putting your own twist on that. And I remember you hosting some stuff some years ago and I was like, he has a knack for this. I hope he does more of it, you know. And I just love seeing you transition in all the different ways that you have

Yeah, evolution, I like that word. I'm not retiring. Well, we appreciate you, your your family. You are always welcome.

Thank you.

You know what I'm saying. We are we are edge of disposal whatever you need. And I'll be sending your tracks for colors. I'm very excited about that where I get to just be creative, you know what I'm saying, to have some fun with my sounds and paint and use all of my colors. That's gonna be dumb, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Tank Valentine and this has been the R and B Money Podcast. The authority of all things R and B with the vibe has been Assi. That has been heaven.

It is.

We have a guidance as a goddess among steps and we have been so blessed to be here today.

With her Guampala.

Get Money, R and B Money is a production of the Black Effect podcast Network. For more podcasts from iHeart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Don't forget to subscribe to and Radar Show and you can connect with us on social media at Jay Valentine and at the Real Tank. For the extended episode, subscribe to YouTube dot com, forward Slash, R and B Money