LeToya Luckett

um boss lady. You know, let's just let's just get into who she is. First, ladies and gentleman. From the Preacher's kid being he's on yeah not come on times. Oh huh sing a song writer produce that we got it for comedian in there. Uh stylus control. You understand what I'm saying. Interior design, Huh you need a bag, She's probably already got it. She'll resell it to you. Turn up. Yeah yeah yeah, So can can we just get this out the way? Yes? Go? Would you like

to apologize? Devlin? I don't think my dad still don't sunk with you, but you know when I see that, listen, we don't we don't need the full exp Would you like to apologize, Devlin? I stand on my character. You did your work. I did listen and they really had me doing worse. Yeah, And he was like, I can't, I can come. Come on, guys, Jesus maning for this. I can't. I can't. Just like they said, hit it, K. I don't understand. Is this movie about abuse? Domestic abuse?

Like it's like you're losing me and them kids. I remember getting off the plane one time and a little kid going like, no, no, it's not it's I want to know whose parents had watching it? Was it was? It was a movie. It's the movie that became this classic in schools and churches. Yeah, they play it in schools and churches. Apparently it's you know, there is to keep you away from the R and B singer. I don't know why you laugh, right, I'm not I'm not devil.

I'm not definitely either. I got paid to be. Can I tell you my bros want to and I have to say this every time someone tries to, you know, make a job in my bro they're like, you know, student, like take over the movies. I'm like, he's one of the nicest people I've ever encountered in life, like he's my bro for real, he's loving like this was hard for him to do, but he just did his job. So job well done. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Not gonnapologize, get out of my comments. I don't care

what I post bishops Baby. They still think my daughter's bishops Baby greatly. It just when you do, when you do the work, you do well, you know what I mean. And it's the mean people that stick with people because when you be nice, and movies they forget you. What I don't keep getting booked to be the villain me too? Is that thing. But you know why because we have so much um pent up because we want to be

the nice persons, the nice person all the time. So we always have to pack those letn't that you know what I'm saying. We always have that packed away. It started away for when for when we hit a breaking point, and I enjoy using it, you know what I'm saying, Like when it's time. So what would I be if I'm an actor? Then yeah, you've that might be your every day It's so what I would I mean, like the super nice you might not so direct if you

could just you could beat around it a little bit. Uh. And we also want to point out, um, this is Army Money, the Army Money podcast. You know what I'm saying. And sometimes people, um, you know, we'll go into their um, their style, bad, their money back and and just just you know, just just help with the aesthetic. Hund you know the the shirt. Yeah, it's big money talking. It's big money talk. I knewhere I was coming and UH said, I just don't want to wear anything. I want to

put it on. And nobody pulled up with the money. The money in a money got to wear it. You know, you're super stylish. Thank you, bro, you are too super. You're you're super super. You've been on it. I learned my style a little later after, after Jay burned half my closet up. Um, but you yeah, he did it. I love telling this story because it's true. What listen to. What happened is he walked in my closet when we were you know, when Jay was like officially, you're you're

the manager. If you're the guy, you're the only guy. We're gonna trust each other and we're gonna take this ride, right and he walked in my closet alight, but let's just start getting everything together. You're aesthetic. Let's just start really tapping into the music. And so he walked in my closet. He looked and he's like, we should we should burn all of this, all of this gotta go all of that. And I was like, that's what friends before.

But bro, that's a real I mean, you've been shocked. No, No, he's right that I was. I was, I was church. I looked church good. There's a difference. Yeah, we had to get into the streets. I mean, you could be sharp, a church could be a church. But you have to get me, you know, you have to get me to Italy saying you had to get me the wrong He got you there. You understand I'm saying you got me there. And so now I'm just now you can't give me

even like you dove your casual fly stuff. So the fact that you stepped in and no, you know, Jay is fresh, she's fresh, guys, always fresh fresh since he was a baby. That's Jay's It's not a it's not an over the top style. It's just always really cool, nice ship, really nice. Always if you crisp, if you my clothes, I feel we are going to go back in time, but I just want to start at the style part, because you're always very stund come with some always what where did where did you get that from?

Where did that shot? I think was my grandmother and my mom, because my my grandmother has always been mean, like until she left this earth, she had her Gucci bags and she used to match it. I mean, come out, alf Alfa Williams. Okay, Alfred Williams were shot, and my mom was the same way. And I think also shout to shout out to my mama, Pam, Mama Pam, and we know, we know we love oh who can't love

mama fas um. But I do feel like with starting my career early at what twelve, like we couldn't get off the plane looking crazy, like we had to have makeup done, hair done, have on the right it um. You know, we had to carry ourselves a certain way because we knew with being in the public of someone blogs and stuff and operas, but you know, we have to be on point. So I think it taught me

to be that way. Like, and my mom was also one of those people that was like, you never know who you're gonna see on the way to the mail bags. I never know she would tell me that little birl. I was like, who who's gonna be out there? My mom? Just when I'm about to ride my bike, I don't

see nobody but the ice cream man. But I guess so between my mom, my grandmother and my mom and you know, starting this thing early with d C, I was I was kind of trained to one of always make the effort to be on point with my style. And last question in the present before we go back to the past, do you think that that's missing now entertainment are just in music? I think as it pertains to uh, female R and B artists. Good question, and I mean, all right, let me let me let me

serve it to you this way. So with social media, like people are able to be themselves on their platform, on their pages, they can. However they want to show up style, the way they talk, that's who they are. So I feel like the cookie cutter way that the labels might have, you know, wanted us to look or well, this is what's hot, this is the nutrient, and then the style, the stylish shows up to the photo shoot, the album shoot with this one rack of what everybody's

wearing that's not happening anymore. So it kind of makes me feel like, Okay, I love that people are being individuals and they're able to be creative. And if they the type of girl don't want to put on the short dress and maybe wants to wear the baggy jeans and maybe crops, however you want to do with this,

do it. But I just feel like social media has allowed the freedom for people to be themselves and not be that could you know how when it was him to do the album packaging photo shoot whatever was hot, there used to be an album cycle literally an album cycle, and the rollout and the whole thing, like what you had to either like get in shape or you had

to whatever it is. It's like, like like you said, they would bring you the full thing, the full gammage of whatever is the hottest stuff, whatever was hot at the top, which kind of I think didn't allow people. I mean, you could you remember I forced y'all on the first album, the first DC album at the time. I love wearing shades on my head for what I don't know. I never put the Mothercker's on, but anyway, just on the top of your head, on the top I threw a whole.

I didn't throw a fit, but it was like, no, like I really this is my thing, Like I want to just add my thing to it. And it made the photo, it made the album, the cover of the album, and I just was like, this is just my little piece of me that I want to carry into this moment. You know. So I feel like now people are allowed to be more of themselves. And whether that's more casual or you're looking like you running on the runway every time you freaking get on't why are my cousins so

much just kissing my comfortable It's crazy? Is this even allowed? You know what? Because I'm having a conversation with my brosers we talked, yeah, and uh, well the reason I asked you that question is because I mean, I guess in with social media there there has been an effect on all of that. Um, but I think, excuse me, you all were so respected and revered, very polished in your clothes, all the things. Yeah, you understand, I'm saying

it was like it was. It was. It was great styling, It was all of these things and you know, great music to go along with it, to where um, you did necessarily have to exploit yourself as a woman. Oh that's that's the question. Are you trying to get me in trouble? No, No No, I'm not trying to get you in trouble. I'm just saying that times are where they are, and so in order to be heard sometimes nowadays, you've gotta be seen first. You know what I'm saying to understand, Yeah,

I understand that, I understand the shift. I'm just saying. I'm just asking from from your standpoint, is is there a way to to get back to, you know, being heard, respected and love. So there's the second part of that question. So with the freedom of being who you are and how you want to be seen, right, because some women feel perfectly okay with, you know, showing up with barely anything on, and that's just who they are, and they don't get that's what's who they are, and I can't

judge that. Right. Um. When we were coming up, right,

I remember watching videos ducting. When she first we first started being friends, there was a lot of music that she wasn't familiar with, you know, with being raised in Africa, so she didn't really know some of our key R and B artists, right, So I was playing her the Tony Brexon videos and Janet Jackson videos and Whitney Houston videos, and I was like, the one thing that she pointed out, she was like that all covered and I said, yeah, I said back then, like you can look at the

Tony Brexton video and she had on the turtleneck dress and it was still giving sexy and body and you know what I mean, you were you were focused on her vocals because you couldn't help but too, but you were like, yo, this woman is sexy and she's feminine and she's all these different things, and I want to be that, you know what I mean. Or Whitney Houston, she would also, do you know, she would be in a white button up blouse with a pair of jeans on,

sitting in a chair sanging her thoat off. You know what I'm saying. Janet Jackson did that one of the baddest routines with a black tied up T shirt and a pair of jeanus. She stood up on that chair and almost and didn't bustle shut up it, Like, I mean, that was impressive, But we were so focused on the artistry and all of those women were very different, um, but they didn't I am really trying to work this the right? Why how you gonna pull this on council,

I'm saying, but like it was different. But okay, we saw Janet Jackson and if we've seen Janet Jackson on the cover of her album, wouldn't do hole nur chitties. We've seen all of these different things. There were small moments, there were small here's the other part of that. There's a personality that's allowed to be seen on social media that we didn't see what was going on behind closed doors with Jenn We didn't see what was going on behind closed door with Tony or did anybody murat We

didn't know. We knew what they allowed us to see. Now with social media, if there's some ratstet behavior going on to match the outfit, then we go, oh, that's who that person? You know. You know what I'm saying. It's the mystery. It's gone. But that's what the internet did.

It did We always we talked about that, right there with freedom comes freedom comes freedom, and you gotta allow people to be But sometimes freedom is also a prison right because now you're now you're playing into Yeah, what you think everyone wants to see are what you you see, you know, the numbers jump off of what they're reacting to. Everybody wants to be reactive. Everybody wants to be reactive. So you become now within your freedom, you become a prisoner.

You become a prisoner to those likes, to those analytics too, and not realizing that forever. And you know, I'm sure your grandmama said it, My grandmama said, and my people said it. Everyone loves to watch your train wreck. Yeah, every every no matter what part of the world, of what hood you come from, you've heard that in your lifetime. And now we're literally living it and seeing it because yes, if, if,

if somebody's gonna crash, you're gonna be like this. You on the other side of the freeway and be like, man, why is it traffic? And people are slowing up to see what's going on on the other side. And now we're faced with that within you know, from the Internet and from social media, and I think the music business really suffers from because we've always been reactive and now it's a magnifying glass on the reactions. So when you walk in there and you go to a label and

they're like, oh, what's going on with him. Oh, she got three baby daddies. She makes songs about how these niggasation. Yeah, yeah, he got photy seven bodies. He getting out next week. No, no, no, no, no, no, he beat. He beat forty forty nine, he'd beat two extras two. Yeah, it's one of what he didn't do. He'd beat those too. We canna put his album our next week, like this is where we at. Yeah, it's

a cold place, bro. But it definitely has trickled down to the female artists, with them having to show more of themselves from a body sense or you're boring or playing and safe. Yeah, And I remember being told that a lot too, like you don't never really you don't show nothing like you you're always trying to be politically correct or you always you know, it gives it gives safe,

it gives square, And I'm like, but I don't. It's not like I'm going, oh, I don't want to be this kind of way, like this is y'all know me. That's how I care myself. That's always raised and your your music, it's not you don't make rashing music because that's here's my other thing. If that, if that is who you are that's fine. I want to hear the music that's connected to that. Now, if you're you know, if you're quote unquote safe, your songs are probably a

little more safe. Yeah, you know what I mean, And I understand it. But like throwing, because I've watched people try to throw artists into the fire where one thing doesn't match the other. Yeah, And if that's the case, you you probably just don't want that artist, m or you don't want to be in that type of business with that artist because at some point that's going to implode. There's nothing you can't live a love so longly. Definitely not. Now,

all right, let's get back to the beginning. Let's go to the beginning when Texas. When did you know what church for you? In? What mother on the mother's board came to you and said, well girl, you can shows. When did you know you had something? Betty Hollands, Come on, Betty Hollands, come on, Bist church, baby, Yes, real with

Baptist church. Uh. And she would do this thing during service where she the children's church, the children's quid would be singing and she would pass the mic around and it got to me, I ain't get it, mother, I just felt like it was my time. That was white not coming my way, baby, And I think in that moment, I was like, this is what I want to do. And I remember my like, oh I was about six, okay, I was about six, yeah, yeah, yeah, I was ready um.

And I just from that point on, I think she saw my confidence and the love that I had for music, and she just continued to allow me to lead the songs. And then she sent me to Japan with like wait, wait, wait, yeah, how did you go from church church Mike? And then she sent me to Japan at the age of ten to represent the us UM in this big world choir they were doing. She sent me, thank you miss bid famous hogans I love she still lived down street from me. Wow. Yeah.

And so that was the that was the light bulb in your head, it was. But my confidence was different back then, Like y'all know how I get shot on the mic? Now, I what you couldn't tell me nothing. The one thing I knew I could do a thing, And I just wish I could get that confidence back. I would do anything to have that confidence back. And from there, like I started being in the school plays and going out for the lead roles. You couldn't tell me nothing. And then somebody told me I was off, yeah,

and it it's Betty moment because that's that's off. Well here, that turns you up though, turned me up. I was like, how are you doing to Betty? You was off baby? Yes? And so with them, okay from a confidence standpoint, because in this business, it's that's pretty much the major key. The key it's to be he'll definitely be oky, but no, but the confidence that's key. You can't let anyone affect your confidence in this because tomorrow can be your day.

So most of the time, because we're in that subjective business, we all know that we're all opinions. People don't even realize how many knows you gotta go through. Oh my god, I talked about that all the time. There's so many knows to get to the right. Yes. So if your confidence ever waivers, that you can throw you off completely completely. So at what age does someone tell you that where they throw Like did you have that moment where they where it was like, like you said, someone told me

I was off? Well yeah. Once I started going to UM Voice lessons and I became up a part of d c UM it wasn't your local talent anymore. Just wouldn't the stage play this was? It was the business real, you know what I mean? And how old are you at this point? I'm twelve at this point, twelve maybe going on yeah, yeah, and um, I think you know too. Hear the other voices around me and especially I mean we're talking about be m. I don't sound like that, Mom,

I don't sound like that. Ain't high? Now? Is that Does that mean I'm not good? Or does that mean it's just different? Like and you start questioning because this isn't what me watching Whitney on screen anymore. This is someone in my face and I'm hearing the power. This is someone in my face and I'm hearing the power in her folt and I'm going whoa. And it didn't

turn into competition or anything like that. It turned into Wow, I'm looking at this person with an amazing gift and I'm getting to experience I'm getting to experience it, like how can I better myself? Or you know, like I know our tones are different, We're never gonna sound the same, but like I need to work on I need to work on myself, you know what I mean? I need to work on myself, and I think I had a moment of Wow, is am I ever going to be

good enough? So I'm gonna play my position that I've been given and this and and take advantage of this opportunity. And the position I was given with solo was soprano. So I just worked on that. I found my lane in the group. Um, I played my part. But I played that part for so long that I never really um, I never really put the effort to make the other parts of my voice, like to grow that, you know what I mean. Because I was so busy at sharpening the soprano. I gotta be on my so I became

insecure in anything else. And to to even hear my voice stand alone, because I'm just here for the harmonies, you know what I'm saying. I'm just here to play my part as a as a soprano in the harmony. The thought of hearing my voice alone again or being a solo artist was, Oh my god, the anxiety. But when you look back on that time when that was never a problem at the edge of time, but I

want to hear myself. But then the flip of that is what it helped create and you because of the rehearsals, the time is spent, the criticism, you know what I mean, what this, what this builds? Because what I find too in our in the industry that we're in now, where we're at now, this current moment and it's time, is

the work ethic is so different. Yes, I think that people think you just have to live in the studio and whatever comes out of the studio is what it is more so than it is the rehearsals, the voice training, the endurance training, you know, like running there And that's why I was about to go to There are stories about y'all development and what it took to get y'all to a space where what I would call unfunck wiable. I remember the first time time I saw y'all group

and I was like, this ship is crazy. These girls are cooking, singing, dancing, not missing they know, not missing their steps. Like that ship was really really cool to watch from from the female sense because obviously I was in a kid group, so I came up through that whole Brooke Payne, you know, military style rehearsals, but it was always very male based for for that type of stuff. Sure, that type of structure where you saw what was created through that, and I just always respected it. I always

respected it because you can. For me, I could see the work. I could see the work that y'all had put in from the rip like, oh no, no, they're different, they really rehearsing. Can you give us a little bit of like the just just the the regiment because I think, like I said, people get confused, was on what this ship really takes to have a thirty year career, a fifty year career, a lifetime career. In this um, it

was no games, you know. We we didn't get to do the problems and the home comings and the kicking it with our friends. Of course there was time for that, but we eight slept impede this industry like we were. It was NonStop. We would wake up, go to rehearsal, then we would have individual voice lessons, then we would have group voice lessons, and then we would eat, and then we come out of that and we go into another rehearsal, and then we work out, and then we

go into another rehearsal, and that was our day. Then you slept all over again, all over again. For how long before y'all ever even put out an album we started that. I mean they have been girls time had already been doing that thing four or five years before me, I think for sure. So when I got I got it in at twelve, so I mean from it's all we knew. We didn't know anything but that. There was no like, oh I'm gonna you know, I'm going to movies,

I'm gonna take a family trip. I'm nah. It's like, especially when we were trying to get our deal, it was NonStop. Remember showcases. We were having showcases for labels. So when that got amped up, then it was time to, you know, do more rehearsals. And we go to Atlanta and we you know, we rehearse there and have a vocal coach there, and it just it was non stop. It was non stop. And the debut album comes out at how I was sixteen, so another four years. Yuh yeah.

Well but but I will I will one thing I'll take away from that experience, man, that whole thing. If you if you stay ready, you ain't gotta get ready. I remember, I don't care if we were in the airport. I remember being on an airplane getting woke up like at our sleep like come to the front of plane. What. Of course, we never asked that, but it was like, okay, we're saying the national anthem on the plane as people are trying to just to have rehearsal, singing in front

of people on the spot. We were singing like hotel lobbies, like wherever, whenever, like we had to be on point. We would sit around and practice our harmonies all day long. We were fine. We used to listen to boys to men invoke all the time and be sitting by the boom box like this show note this show, notedition. And we would do that all day every day, just harmonizing, getting to blend together, and you know, it just it just it was life. We didn't know life outside of that,

you know what I'm saying. And there was no break. But what h you ain't got to wear right? Um? Wow, that taking your hurdle. But I think that that's why we've been able to have long careers, to be okay with a little criticism here and there. You know, a lot of the criticism that we were getting came from a place of love and wanting some someone wanting us to see us at our best. Um. And I think now we all know how to differentiate between you know, the two you know, and also we know how to

keep our business to ourselves. We were trying to do that. We ain't gonna pop off. Unlet's listen to the song. You want to response, lets do come out. We learned how to keep We were talking about the mystery and how to keep that. We had to watch the Michael Jackson. You know, if there was a tour DVD at out our tape, because you know, something like that. We were

watching Mike all day. We will watch Janet, we would watch Shaka, we would I mean, we will watch the greats all day, all day long, studying, studying them, studying, and y'all were connected to some things that were that were also great that a lot of a lot of people may not know. I know because I'm from there. Yeah, I got some Bay Area roots. I mean shut out to my brother Duwayne Wigis because that's how I first heard about you through Duwayne Wiggins from Tony, Tony, Tony.

For for people who may not be familiar with just you know, the govern a man. But even in even in that, those steps to get y'all to where y'all were going, moving to Oakland, moving like as kids. She's gonna uproot, moved to Oakland of all places, and listen and what I know about the Wayne? Wayne will have you in the trap. Hey Dwayne, you know Ian wrap that gets you with the whole. You know, incense and candles in the whole. You know anythink nah nah, they

from They're from the streets. They from the deep deep Oakland. They from the streets of Oakland. So I already know that y'all were experiencing something completely different. How did that also play into right, because you're now signed to another artist. Were you able to experience some of what was going on with their group or was that something completely different

from your completely different. We were sheltered from a lot now although we were there, and whether we were in the hood or not or whatever, we didn't really know. I mean, we was in the house. He was in the house practicing and learning harmonies. We didn't get outside at all, you know what I'm saying. We maybe to go have dinner every once in a while, but we were babies, so they knew to keep us out the way,

you know what I mean. Um, we were even they were even super careful about who they put us on tool. It just all of that because we were so young and and very sheltered and protected and there were chaperones. It was as it should be, kids on the road, you know, we Oakland went first, Atlanta was during Freaknick time. Who was in the house. It was in the house.

He just knew. I think they So when do you think, um, when do you think you regained at least enough confidence to say and I don't want to skip over anything but to say I can do this on my own. MM. That came later. I'm still I'm still fine with that a little bit. Um, after all your solar success, after everything, you still people don't realize how the seeds that they plant, especially into children, the words that are said, even if

said with love. I think I have very now that I have kids, I'm very careful with the way that I talked to them and the things that I say to them, because as an adult, I remember, you know what I'm saying and this We were kids in an adult industry, so it's just kid artists. And even if we were exactly and you know, we were getting I think we got dropped from the label at one point. We got it. Just the rejection started early with us

because we were you know, wanting to get on. We were wanting to put out an album and all these different things, and everybody wasn't feeling it. So rejection we got our nose early. And that can do something to you. It can do something to you. And um, but it also I feel makes you stronger. I do feel like I am stronger and able to push through a lot of things because I know, even with some of the knows that I received, I'm still here and I'm still my gift. Nobody has taken my gift from me. They

can't do that. Um, but it does have enough. It had it can It can be a mental mental fun So what sounded like you had? But I'll tell you when it started? So I um, after after uh d C, I I honestly didn't know what what it was that I wanted to do. I was being a solo artist. Was nowhere what I would be. I would argue you down, I might have gone off on you if you said anything to me about what. No, that wasn't an option.

And then I found myself here in l A working with Chris Hicks, Terry Ross, Dave Young, and you know what he were like, Yeah, let's you know let's let's do a little something, you know whatever. So I did a few of these records and Dave was helping to

build my confidence up in the studio. Um. I would love him forever for that because he was my teacher and he was very patient with me, and he knew, you know, what I was going through mentally, um, and he just he was like, your tone, your tone is crazy. Your tone is crazy. You need to just just like understand that you can't stand alone, like you can do this. And I was like, oh my god, this is sun

or whatever. And so um, we just kept working together and ended up you know, Chris ended up shopping me a deal and getting me signed a capital and everything was fun and all until I had to start performing live really and that's when the anxiety, the panic attacks, the that's when it got real. Oh yeah, it got real. I would have panic attacks in the bathroom. I was scared to go on stage. My voice would literally be shaking, like to be out there alone by myself and not

have my girls up there with me. You know, I didn't I didn't know how to play that off. Wow, I didn't know how to play that off. And it wasn't until I got on on the Mary J Blast tour. That's what it wasn't until I got and I thanked Mary at the BT Awards, like just a few weeks ago, because I don't under I don't think she understands what she did for me and giving me that opportunity and allowing me to just be a part of something so amazing, and watching her on stage every night, like one thing

about Mary is going to be from her soul. She's not worried about whether it's on as off. Is this that she is telling her story and that's all that matters. She getting it out. And I learned so much from watching that. I came from this, you know what I'm saying, Which is great too. We see, we see how that performs. But to watch someone just go out there and pour out their soul every night, it made me go let

your hair down a little. I get your freedom back, you know what I'm saying, Like, trust yourself, trust your gift. You're here for a reason. I just want to win to have you opened enough for her if you're sounded like a dying goat, like you're here for a reason. And I just feel like in that moment and allowing God just showed up. He did, and every night I got stronger and stronger and stronger, and I just I started to realize, Okay, this is where you're supposed to be,

and how long is your set? At that point, my set was about five minutes. You got right into it too, because peop don't realize that, like twenty five minutes sounds short, but for a new artist, because you also weren't doing any old records. You just do no, no album, So you're giving them twenty five minutes of new music and a few come on, that's not that's not easy. Yeah, it was a lot. I saw you on that tour you did, and I was like, and it was when you was you were singing uh uh what it called

them between two? You were singing tour and I knew what notes were coming up? Why does everybody know the note? I knew what notes were coming up, and I wanted to see how it played outline and I was like this, see and you went into the heavens and lived there. So when you did you okay? So that that that's another question. Did you know that they'd be looking for that note? But did you purposely do that? In the studio like I'm about to show these motherfucker's I can sing.

Dave said, where do you want to go with this? Because this is the bridge, So you can't give me this. You gotta give me that. And they don't really give that anymore. But you know, whatever they give you this now, he gave me a little bit of something, David, you know d So he gave me a little bit of hood. I felt he did something and I was like, we're going there. He was like, yeah, so he gave me a couple of takes of it. And that's what y'all got.

It's kind of like what happened with good to me? No, no, no, we get no. But because I also I remember that, I remember the notes, you know what I mean, Like like you said, everybody remembers that. I think for me it was more so, oh she got something to prove. Yeah, maybe even if you you know, unknowingly did it. I wasn't gonna lead the back until that was. That's what That's what I felt hearing that record, like, oh, she

has something to prove. Because I'll be very honest with you, I didn't know nobody else could sing just is what it is, right, I can't beat, no, bide with me and take the truth. I didn't know nobody else to sing, so I remember, I think I was I don't know what city I was in, and the harmony. I'm on the streets. I don't hear no harmonies, so him, no, I hurt the harmonies. But it was still you didn't know anybody could do that. That wasn't so listed on the package. I'm at a hotel some random city. I

don't know if it was an event. Did they have like some I feel like I'm right. Did they do a promo where they like hung something on the doors hotels of yours? Remember the first time I saw it, I'm like, she can't say don't fight before it. But this is my first I gotta beat, you know me my first time seeing and I'm like, cute girl from what is this? Oh? Put this on my door? What

is this? Right? And I'm sure I wasn't the only person who I'm sure I was the only person who did that because we just were ignorant to the fact of you know, we go off of what what's presented to us. So for me, I just thought that's my natural thought. Then I hear the song, and I'm like, what the fuck she cooking? You came out as a solo artist, first in the group, but as a solo artist before auto tune, before this auto tune thing. So what was on that record was how you sang that ship?

And I was a believer from that point on. Thank you from that point on. But at first, yeah, I was like, she's just you know, keep girl the group and this, what's this? What's this? Pretty girls don't saying? That was a young sa uh. And then I guess before we get to that next album where we come in, there was this movie mm hmm um called The Preacher's Kid that you still don't apologize. I tried to get you to apologize. She can devilely apologize. I don't even

know where Devil is. Yes, yes, I want to know that Jackie. He had on too. I'm sure he probably still got that Jackie. Listen, listen. I had a hard job managing this guy after he played Devil, because I didn't manage him when he played Devil. Talking about there was people who still remember Devil. And when I took Tank on as an artist, or when he took me on as a manager, part I remember there was an agent was like I was you know how I go for you, bro And I was like, no, like my

broking act. He was like, I'm not signing him. I don't like go from the movie. I was like, you really did a great job though, like I'm trying get your poet, but it's a great job in that movie because it affected everything. Yeah did yeah, but just not everybody, but everything. There were people who saw you as that. People were like and they couldn't unsee it, like dude, it's mean serious. And then on this album currency just on their buff look at me, but he's not the

world mean, Nick, tell me this. So we're doing this movie and and I think the coolest moment in shooting this film was that downer saying nope, which one I

think that came off cool to everybody else. But the personal moment between me and you that we shared, that we unintentionally shared was was in the bedroom after the fight, after I beat you up, I hit you and then start apologizing and then just start talking about how the industry oh my gosh, yes, and I was there they only did want to take it that didn't and we had a moment so personal between the both of like we were having a conversation, not as the character, and

we got to crying and who hoo, and like they had hurt you the thing was called for in real life,

we were hurt. Why what else? Right? It was to the point to where she was missing lines, just crying and I was like maybe you know what I'm trying to say was like and they still owe me money and we are crying, laving really emotions in this scene to the point that oh my god, to the point to when they said cut, well not stop crying like we were just we were we were just it was it was a release of some real ship that we

was going through at the same time we connected. I think that's when we connected as friends like brother and sister in that very moment, like this is bigger than this movie. Because I remember that was like I got a song for years two thousand nine, yeah, like nine, yeah, yes, some yeah, that's right before we started working on an Hour and Ever album. Yeah yeah, yeah, because I was kind of in limb again because you know, it's like something pain that came out and I had done on

you know, the cool stuff with se cleving pain. But then I'm just you know, starting to start starting to driving, started driving again, starting to dry up on me. Background wasn't acting right, and you know, but you know, all these things, but that moment and then I was like, I was like, I had some music for you. We should we should do some music, man, And and now we can get into the first of all, you killed pretty skid. You did you kill? Thank you? You know

what I'm saying. Thank you. You're such You're such a bar for female solo artists. You're such a bar. And when that bar is missing, you know, like who was Who's going to help influence and help inspire and help like keep that thing. Like like Big Jay used to get to get on me. It's like he's just like, man, you don't put out of his music. I was like, what do you mean. It's like you just don't put

out in those music. Like people need to see you, they't need to hear that, Like there is need to be programming tune that that frequency needs to always be available so the people know what it is, so that the real is never missing, you know what I'm saying. And to me, that's what you represent. Every time I've ever called you on stage, cook on demand, every time can I get my show back? If I can get

my show back, yeah, he's gone to it. What I'm saying, because if she said most them at the pair and so even to this day, you know what I'm saying, like you're missing You're what's trying to do me a good time? Well, first of all, can we just I have to do this. I have to do this. Okay, okay, do it. I know y'all know me as like cist and whatever, and we've probably had conversation about like me having more kids and what do I want for my future,

especially going through what I just went through. You know what I'm saying, And I'm like, I want more kids. I don't. I don't. I feel like I love my two that I got. I'm two and I'm through. But this record, y'all just dropped if to write, motherfucker. Sure, y'all were singing to the uterus is across the world, Every Uterus Unite, Come forward, y'all were singing to our services. That damn song does something to the cush. Oh yeah, that's all. I was like, y'all put some spirits on.

It's y'all put some in the spaghetti on that y'all did that on purpose, and I don't like it. It wasn't on purpose. Was crazy. It's actually accidental. You don't accidentally come up with the have been the record had come, did the record had been sitting with us for a minute, y'all.

Let that's it. Why would you do that? Well, because here's something you don't know you need something until you actually need it right, And you don't actually see the full value and potential in a thing until you until you need it right, until you're trying to fill a void and you look back like, that's what I It fits perfectly like a cut, right, And so you know, they sent us a song shout out to Will getting sent us a song or co sign for you for me,

for you, um, and I'm like, Jay, play it for me. I'm like, I'm like, I like it. But in my mind, I'm coming off of when we fuck we got fucking with me dirty? And how much can we do? Man? Because we flitched positions a few times because you know, we're running into overtime right now with all this fucking And as I'm finishing the album, I'm like, what's missing? And I'm like, wow, we just went you know, number one. We have the number one song for two years in

a row, seventeen and eighteen. We gotta have some of that essence here. We can't outside a little flex that was a little okay, it's necessary. I was like, we can't not have any of that here. I gotta make sure we have that. That President's gotta be a little of you, at least a little bit. And cosign Re sends me the song, and I didn't realize it was the same song since I said at the time I need this kind of song. I'm like, this motherfucker's a monster.

It is. He's like he's like, he's like, big bro. I'm telling you. You know, the guys are big fans of yours and they want this record for you as fired. And I called Jay, I'm like, Jay, remember that song that? Did you let me hear this song? He said, yeah, Nick, I'll let you hear that song. Look at it. So that's the song. I said, Nigga, it's crazy. He's like, I told you crazy. I said, I'm gonna tell you

what's gonna be even crazy? Here? You on the second verse, come one out of retirement, Jane, I said, it's time. He said, Chief you know, it's just I don't want to hear nothing. Get over here, get your come sing. I know the way y'all cried on that record, like the way that there was like what women want and desire. Of course, you know you like it, run sometimes, you like whatever. But it was a very like the sensitivity

that we need from a man. The even though y'all didn't sing the lyrics slow or anything like that or any of that, the passion, the what we want from a man to feel loved, to feel y'all hailed us in that record. Y'all are literally spooning, if you will know. It's a central my first time, my first time here in the record because because we didn't write the record right record in which is even more foreign, because you know what I mean, we just we do our own record.

So that's why the record was even that. It was just it was such a special record I just couldn't get away from. But a big part of why I couldn't get away from it because I was just like, these niggas wrote a record that's sensual and nasty at the same time, but it's like but sweet and it's and it's not like it's not overbearing. It's the only thing right because you know you'll see the comments here and there obviously just the word funk in itself, it

just you know, just it gets. It gets people. It's gonna it's gonna cause a reaction. And anybody that knows me, when I do music or anything I've been a part of in music, I don't want to do it if there's no reaction. M there has to be a reaction, you know, right reaction. You put that on, and when you get the right reaction, you got something. What's crazy is that he don't even know is that the the

I guess when what what did you say? You said, the the there's all yeah, a wine and a crop, yes, which he delivered better than me in the original version. But his voice. So when he when I recorded my verse in in my hook and all of that, he then came and record his. And then when I heard his, I said, oh he could he croot ain't coming out like this. He put it out like that's it. And I heard his hook. I said, I got it. I hear it. I hear where he has a wine. I said,

I gotta be there. I turn the ship back on, put it up, put it up because this is not happening. Was coming off as was going in there. No, I wasn't. I just wasn't pulling hard enough. Yeah, he tugs like I was. I was. I was going through the motions like he was really pulling. And I was like, oh, yeah, okay, alright,

see what we're doing. We'll see what Yeah yeah yeah, turning this stip back on so I can tell my grand I made tank re seeing his part, you make chicken go back in and redo his verse like that was. That was That was clear up about that day and almost made to last on the plane at nighttime. Yeah. I heard the song on the plane at nighttime at nighttime. You know, I get when you're taking the night flights. Yeah, and you're just listen to you. Yeah, I ain't got

nobody even laying it go to your boss that turkey leg. Yeah, that thing for me and said it made me feel like I'm got in your comments. Yeah he's back. But it was perfect. It was it just lined up the right way. Everything I told you in the movement you know, continues from there, but back to you. Um so, how many how deep are you into the show at this point? How many episodes? Are you in oh man, I don't even know. I think we're uh somewhere around six or eight. Yeah.

We put on out every Tuesday. Okay, every Tuesday, y'all make sure you'll tune in. Leave it to Latoya's cute. So I have a question, yes, sir, First, this this this, uh, this is what you have leaven to la Toya? Um, happening at the moment? Really talk what do you what do you see? Is next? I want to be on the writer producer side of more music and film. I like, seriously, I have some ideas. Um, I've put them on paper and everything, and I'm about to start taking meetings. So

I want to be on the other side of the camera. Um. I want to really dive into also design. I love fashion, I love I love interior decor. Like I could do that in my sleep, you know. So I'm this conversation having a storefront and easy though it's a lot going on in the world, and it's like and with online and with social media Instagram, what why my parents? Anyways? UM, I just feel like I want to I want to dive deeper into like things that I've really always wanted

to do. It might be scared too, you know, would you design your own line like yeah, what okay? I would? Yeah, top five R and B artists yours, yours, yours mine. Yeah, you're not saying what people rank in the you know. Oh she puts such and sudding, No, no, no, yours. This is who you enjoy personally, that you believe, school, new school, school whatever again whatever, looser, gotta start with little thing, big louth, a little little thing. Both, okay, both?

I take them? Yeah, Anita Tank, Wow, you were bro just nicking my tough he did? This is the song in Return and Produce. Are you saying that she's getting right here? You know what I'm saying? He definitely. Um, oh, Tony didn't got me to a lot. M Tony to talk to me, talk to me to name who should got me through some heartbreak. Um, I'm a dang it. I'm gonna throw Jasmine in there, Jasmin Sellman. Yeah, yeah, I can't add jo to see because Joda See is in there. Like you said, artists, but I want to

say artists assist the bad sex first? Fine, can't you Jody see how he's a child of Davante father? Well, clearly I could telling them smile lines instructured fore hit top five R and B songs, rude. Why would y'all ad see that? Because we want to know that's not cool like that would like to know And I know that can change every day, it can fluctuate. Jams Man jams get jams M R and B jams R B jams Yo. Okay, if only for one night? Well, m okay, what's the name of a song? Uh? What do I do? Friends?

True evil? What's the hook? Something? And it's they never knew something, they never knew and it's much more. It's much more than they ever knew, much more, much more than they can be called. I think so. But that's my hum too, Okay, okay, sorry, second, Oh, this is a hard one. You know what. I can't stop playing right now about it? Funny? How time fly? Have y'all listened to that Janit record? They were just playing it?

Where was I? I cannot remember where I was. We were on the boat yesterday in Miami on the river boat. Shout out to Kiki on the river. I'm gonna throw that over. And and Brian who is who swears he's an R and B archaeologist. He's really good he's really good. God, he's a really good R and B official Nodo. And he got the ox from Jordan, because you know, Jordan had us my nephew. I'm sure he got a turn. He was playing alle Oh yeah, that was all rightcheckt.

But then it was time to go and to the RM and and uh Brian seized the controls and he started that Janet Jackson and it was just it was just a little dark outside. Yeah, that'll takes something from it, do something. I still do it. Yeah, the way it comes in, did she give you French at the end, it is that French? I don't know. I don't care. I don't care. Oh my god. And isn't it a continuation of less wait a while? No, I thought it was.

I thought she didn't want to do it and less wait a while, and she said, let's wait a while. And then it was like funny, how time flies. She ran back into that again, and it was like, you know what I mean, I'm ready. The way you're putting it together, it makes sense because I thought that as a young girl. That's what I said to myself. You probably shouldn't have been listening to that as young girl. You know, what pam pam, my mama, let me listen. I thought that was hot girls out. I only wanted

to be the truth about a round truth. Oh my god, I couldn't chake that song. I still can't. Um Um, it's a voiceman song. I don't know if it's I'll make love to you or if it's um we've been on together? Is that the same into the road? Which one? Is it that's end of the row, that starts that's end of the road, or is it I'll make love to you? Which one? I don't know, Guys, it's the one that starts together. I'm to five and okay, five babies, I'm not really I have to be done five. You're

just you're doing six of everything. Yeah, we're letting you get away with girl. Nobody get away really do all right? R and B Voltron, Who are you taking the vocals from? Who are you taking the styling from, the aesthetic the appearance? And who are you taking the performance from? To make the complete your complete? R and B artist? Why kidding shipped from Thank you for coming Chief? I'm gonna ask him.

It's me and Rubens in in there. He's like, and then we can and then I was like, yeah, damn man um, and I don't want no trouble for saying what I gotta say. Ain't no trouble I'm saying because you know, I'm about to say two female artists who are totally different, but let's started. Who are getting the vocals from Jasmin? Come on, come on, I'm getting them from Jasmine. I said in front of that. I found girls. She performed the essence this past year and I literally

was like, pick up your goddamn feelings. I'm did it come? I was like, is she talking to come this stress? I felt like I left feelings over there, pack them up. This put him in a doggy bag. I might have left a few who You're getting the styling from Aesthetic and Rihanna very Fly, very fly, every fly very Yeah. She didn't like Rihanna. I love her because she just do her and like she don't miss especially like remember she was disrespecting the sidewalk for us every day, like

she would every time she walked outside. It was like she was modeling white. We're all pregnant. She was. She was still mold. You know what I'm saying. Like I was like, oh, okay, Okay, the belly is all it is. Everything is part of the vibe, you know. And she just got a effortless. She got an ownership, she got everything. The confidence is because when it comes down to is they're not giving a funk and she don't like we

talked about with a Mary J. Blige. Mary gonna give you her no matter whatever it is, what it is, and she's my emotion because you didn't. You got to add that emotion, Mary. Emotion make you cry sometimes that's what age town talking. We're gonna add emotion to that emotion. May who do you get the feelings? Do you get the film? Mary? Who do you get that? Man? Okay? You feel like she been She will mispronounce a word in a song. You don't kill what she meant that

in this Dancer read, I don't even know. I don't even think that they've even made a dancer reach don't I still don't know. It has something to do with the stiff leg dance and the bob that's what that's the place. Everybody does that in the Dancer when she said I should have left your ass alone time ago, and in wind that Down. I've seen it, listen, I've

seen it live every night. When she started rolling around on the ground during normal drama or stumping or having a full out tantrum, I'm like, our, y'all, not, this is craziest. I'm in church. I'm having a full borne experience. When I watched mary last one performance, I got to it would be, it would be, it would would listen. Okay, because people gonna argue me that Michael isn't pop Michael. Yeah, I mean Michael Jackson is an R and B. They'll

say he's a pop artist. People will argue me down and say that Michael Jackson isn't an R and B artist, He's a pop artist and all these things. He's all things Christ strengthen that what no, no, enough that Michael Jackson's R and B. He is go to the all things. Michael Jackson's R and B start and Gary Indiana. R and B is. Let's let's say this R and B has encompasses so much. And I think that I think that it was hours R and B was ours still ours. No, That's what I'm saying, and a way for them to

take a piece of that. That's where the word pop I get it. I don't know what pop is popular, but just a way for them to own that space. But you know it was crazy, you know how he owned them. He called himself the king of it. Absolutely.

But think about this though, like even even if we talk about a guy, a guy named Bruno, a guy like Bruno, Marr, R and B and so are we saying you know what I'm saying, just but R and B saying pop takes it out of not here at R and B money not here not here, R B money, Michael Jose, all of what other names, R and B, R and period, all the middle names. Talk about it before you get to Jackson, Michael Jackson. Okay, so you got Michael Jackson, R and B artists. I'm gonna say

to watch Beyonce before I'm sorry, I don't know. And that's why I said I had to have I had to say Michael, and I had to say be to Miami and the rose Ball and I was still affected. I still she was like walking over and ship. Yes, it was just like she likes to splash around in water. It was just the power that she brings. It was a levels of performance that I'd never ever I've seen before. I'll be watching on stage sometimes she don't know this, but I'd be like, we used to do that. You

got some upgrades. He didn't used to do that. But it came from It came from expecting your craft and working. And when some of us wanted to go to the movies, when some of us wanted to go when we did have our off time, she was in the studio, sitting there by herself, right in the record. She was in the car when we I never forget. We was at this little like indoor play, jungle gym situation or whatever happen on fun like kids are supposed to. And she set out in the hot ass car and was right

into a track. And I remembering, what be I'm going on and see what you're doing. And I went and set a passenger seat as she just wrote this record, and I was like, we'll be out. You're trying to have fun. And this girl, she's she's on it. She lives this like this, she wants this bad she is. It is no surprise to me that she is the icon that she is now. A lot of other things went into that, but I will say her work ethic

is I ain't seen. It's monstrous. I am I ain't seen nothing like it, and being around it made you feel guilty if you weren't like, wait hard, I'm not doing something right away. She didn't have to say anything to hold your account. She did it by example. She led by example. Wow, yeah, that's that's a we gotta get back to that. Used to sit in the booth

with me while I was singing my parts. You know, normally the lead singer once they've done their role or whatever, you coming and seeing your foe lines and they go off and do whatever. He was sitting in the booth with us on the lord in the corner and like nah, I tried it again, blah blah blah. And the support she would give us, even in the roles that we played in this I'll never forget that. I'll never forget that. She never stopped, She hasn't stopped, she won't. She's unstoppable

for real. That's great. Yeah, anything that has her name on it, anything that has to do with her, will be great. Body means necessary, even if it means sacrificing it all well, and I saw that firsthand. M Hard work, dedication, hard work, and all that means. Um, don't ask, no, don't I'm not. I feel like I'm being threatened. Oh well, then we got this part of the show. Short's tight. Yeah, you're gonna bust about him, bust about him. Listen. So just part of the show. It's called I ain't saying

on name. I ain't saying on names. It can either be funny, are fucked up? Are both funny? And the only rule to the game is you can't say the names. So nobody that's a part of the story can be mentioned that. You might can say the occupation, you might, can dabble around whatever you gotta do, but you cannot say their name. And it's that sample. Just give us a story, story, give us your name. Whatever. Let's get

behind the curtain. The curtain. Hell, you know the velvet rope, you know all the cool ship you grew up in. I didn't go to your pin a tin. Come on, what happened you're paying? You still know the niggas from your pet? Come on? We know what pass me some of that? Maybe a snack? Basically want the snacks? Many I don't cooking something, man, I mean maybe saying we'll ben here, eat chips and all the kind of ship. Yes we do, we go we'll be snacked up, baby snack.

Get you get your chips. Ship. I'm snacking cold. Snacky Robinson, snacky Jackson. I don't know both. Imagine the motherfucker right now because we're chewing. I know, but you shout out to both because both maddening him up right now. Okay, So I remember I had just started this show and I was super excited about the role. And first day at work called time was like four am. Crazy Son, barely up, I know my lines. I'm nervous as hell because I'm working with some like I mean, amazing actors,

and I mean the director was crazy. I mean just the line was nuts. So I go on um on set and I'm in the makeup trailer, um crack of dawn. I still gotta sleep in my eyes, it's the whole thing. And so the main actor walks in and she's losing it on hair and makeup, and I'm just watching her, like this is how we get down this. First of all, it's early. You ain't even six willing out to lake, you know, and it's just breakface. I ain't even got my breathfets ordered taken yet, and you are willing, And

so where it started. Then you know, I get on set, I'm getting Mike, going through the you know, the proper rehearsals all this stuff or whatever, and uh, I noticed her energy is a little different on set. And so when it was time to like roll, when I tell you this, lady's past on everybody to the point where she started throwing set chairs and being violent and clearing everybody off the set. And just like I was like

losing it on everybody. She didn't want nobody to mike her. Yeah, it was like, don't touch me and get your hands off of me. And I was just like, I'm like, yo, I am about to have to do like all of my scenes are with her, like all of them, every single one of them. And I'm like, um, what if I signed up for it? So she proceeds to kick everybody off set, but then you hear her she kicked that, not every she was like, get out, get away from me.

It was like that moment and then they left. Everybody left. But then you hear her the distance going I'm so alone. Everybody has left me and abandoned me. And I was like, what the fun is happening? And I'm on the phone with my agent, like, bitch, why didn't you like what? Whatever? But the sad part about it was because eventually she got it together and we started her scene, moved on, the day, kept going, they kept going like it was nothing like this was the norm. But so my and

it was my million dollar question? Is just a black? You know? And that was the sad part about it because in my mind, I'm going like I had this been a sister, she would have been first and to Instagram and talked about it. You know what I'm saying. She would have been black balled. Has she carried on like this? Have you noticed that it's called black balled? Everything black isn't good. It's what his banks. And that's how they made us feel like when you're black, anything

it's wrong or it's bad, we gotta star check. But we've already started to work on that. But it's such a powerful word that it makes you feel away. You have a reaction to it. But yes, she wouldn't have had no job, but they when I tell you, I was like, I remember we did also did a scene after and she whirled out in the car and I was in a passage sea of the car and she was using her hands, and I said, who she grazes me? You know how you feel the wind she hit me

first moment. Yeah, you only needed a graze, you know. And I'm going and you gotta keep professional under these circumstances. But as a black woman, I'm sitting here watching her carry on like this. No one I couldn't do the same thing. Nobody's saying anything. Everybody's just and the tan from he was like, this ship is not the cameras. What with y'all? This is show this Yeah, what if people need to see And that's how you're saying the

name ladies and gentlemen. Yes, yes, ladies and gentlemen. Um, this has been absolutely special. You know you know how I feel about you. You know I love you to pieces. Uh, it's families love, it's always, it's everything. Um. Now we we are extremely thankful. Yeah, like of course you would just look at it like these my guys, But no, no, no, no no, because we know how busy you are. We know that you had to. Yeah, when the baby's getting involved and you gotta make plants like that's appreciate it.

I moved thanks around for y'all. Y'all. Ain't never not showed up when I called, so I'm gonna always do the same. Thank you for performing at my birthday party. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah. He came to the trenches. That was a time and they sang as loud as they could when they're for I came off. Thank you and you know, you know we are. We left than the phone call away always. Thank y'all for always being there. Yeah, y'all have seen me at my worst. Y'all see me

at my best. And y'all are always the first ones to call when when she hits the fan. Ye, ladies and gentlemen. Ladies and gentlemen, I am Tank, I'm Jay Valentine. And this has been the R and B Money podcast, the authority on all things are in be with one of the colest, one of the coldest of the flyers, the beautiful inside and out and Money. R and B Money is the production of the Black Effect podcast Network.

For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, visit the R Heart Radio, Apple Apple Podcast, or wherever you're listening to your favorite shows, don't forget to subscribe to and rate our show, and you can connect with us on social media via at R and B Money Podcasts or at the real tank or at J Valentine