MC Lyte

R and B Money.

We are.

Take volatility.

We are the authority on all R and Ladies and gentlemen. My name is Tank, I'm Valentine. This is the R and B Money podcast telling what it is the authority on all things.

R and B authority because we have one of the authorities on all things authority.

Yeah. Yeah, we don't take this word in this moment lightly.

Uh as it is light. It is extremely heavy.

Yeah.

Yeah, it is not paper thing. It is not paper thin. The way it has been paved and what shines upon this path and has been trail blazed is a light.

Oh, ladies and gentlemen, No introduction is needed, but I just felt the need to say a few words that coincided with light, Ladies and gentlemen, the theeah MC Yeah yeah, thank you, jeez.

I want to.

Here's what, Here's what this this this, this moment is right, this part is this is I don't know how often you get to do this. This is to pop your ship moment. This is the yes I am who I am. That's what this pod is about. Talking about time fifty flowers, all time flowers, and you are allowed to smell them on this pod. I want to ask question in the beginning, and I want you to step outside of yourself and answer this. For me, what makes mc light timeless? What do you feel the ingredients?

Okay, well, first of all, I try my damnedest to stay inside my body. So you're asking me to step outside of my body. Because we're always out right as creative people.

We're always out, So get out. Look in timeless. Fearless.

Got to be fearless in order to be okay, to move where you were to where you.

Want to be.

And so for me, being timeless has everything to do with changing, with what is happening. Oh, at the same time keeping who it is that you are at the core. But for me, yeah, it's about realizing that change is good and to implement it wherever it feels most natural.

Was that, Okay, you're you're really good? Like you're you're good. I say that, and I asked you that because you know, as I'm as I'm walking, I go on my snack walk and and I'm listening to to the new records, and I'm like, you haven't missed the beat. Doesn't sound like we're trying to figure out how to pay homage to someone who was we are actually in the midst of celebrating someone who is This is now like those records, I'm like, oh, I can't wait to be in the

Yes, I mean.

The wonderful thing about this new age of music you know on all of the DSPs of streaming, uh, is that people find it when they find it, and it's it's new for them and it's invigorating for them. It's no longer like.

This mad rush.

The record is in the stores on the shelves, and if you don't go get it now, they're gonna return all of them. This is no pressure.

It can be digested at a study pace, which is which is great business for you, sure, but it's just like that's not very that's not the easy feat to be you and be able to be applied. This is twenty twenty four going into twenty twenty five. You've been doing this and you sound and feel fresh as day one on these records. I gotta give you.

That thank you, thank you, and that means a lot coming from you guys who know everything R and B. The authority, the authority authority, you know what. I kind of can attribute that to Warren Campbell, who the master executive produced the record, and he was just like, be yourself, you know it was It wasn't this thing where sometimes I can find myself in the studio with other producers and they're like, we need you to put a little bit on this song.

O got it.

They doing this now, so you gotta do that, and you got it. Wasn't any comparison. As a matter of fact, he doesn't really listen to a lot of music at all because he likes to keep himself somewhat in the tunnel.

Of what he's creating and what feels good to him.

Yeah, he is music. I about to say he is music. He's a child prodigy, doesn't He doesn't have to listen to any more music. He knows everything. I saw another saw another day up at at the concert Kirk with kirk In and Fred and all of them, and he just did this musical bed for this song that had been creat created many moons agof and he created the musical bad for it. That was. That was the twin identical twin like clone, if you will, the same everything

I don't know that.

Well, what what's what's so great about even this record? It was, you know, so many samples and at a certain point, you know, we're dealing with the sample clearance person and things are coming back so expensive to the degree that I called up one of the labels and I was like, this is just too much. I need you to be on my side for a second. You know, I have something to contribute to hip hop and I'm not going to be able to do it at at

Everything is exactly like it.

Is exactly, and I thought I was, you know, kind of chivalry.

Because I was like, oh my goodness, what is going to happen.

It's like, I'm so used to this sound demo itis and I was just used to it.

And you know, with samples, it's.

Compacted, and it feels so solid, like real food. And I was afraid we were gonna get soup or you know, things were going to be separate, but it just it's everything.

Chef worn, chef worn past, the elder chef. And and you sound you sound excited like you sound you know, you sound still very much in love with this process like you sound. You sound bright. You don't sound like, all right, let me get this one more like you sound like nah, we.

We're about to do another one.

We got about maybe five that didn't go on this record, and so we just go do five more, put it out. It's like I heard Jazzy Jeff said, don't don't die with anything, HM, give it all, give everything you've got. So I'm just gonna keep going till I don't have anything left.

And you should. I saw I saw some R and B artists names on on the feature featured a couple of songs.

Just he didn't see his name, you know is going? Was I know what this is going? But he got five more for this next project.

Yeah, sure enough, look to be looking for his name.

Look at it.

I know the context of the music. Okay, you do, I can put some like I can put I can keep clothes on. Yeah, okay, he's having I'm having a problem.

No, Well, now that we know, we can call you.

You know, you're so busy, you chap traveling the world, snack walks and stuff. You know.

I just I just want we're coming after you.

I am available. It sounds, it sounds, and it is. It is so good. It is so good. And I was like I was, I don't think I was expecting anything less, but it just for me. It it just serves into the idea and the image that I have of you, of this, of this timeless icon, this this this gifted light that continues to shine in in any avenue, in any arena, wherever. Whatever you're called upon to do, you just you just seem to you you just are special in it.

Thank you so so much.

I'm just on a to still be able to do it, to still have somebody. It's funny because during the record, you know, Apion writes he's an MC And so we came into the studio a couple of times, and then we took a break, I think it was a holiday or something, and he hit me up like Okay, what's up when we're going back in? Yeah, And you know I was like, oh not yet, Okay, well when we're

Can't really do it with anybody. I gotta go.

I gotta go inward and come out with what it is that God is telling me. I need to deliver on this record and so to have you. And I got a call from Busta, a call from Sway. I got, you know, like all of these folks are reaching out like, oh my God, like like yo.

You you put some work in. And so it feels good. Chrus One, you know I grew up with her. He hit me like that king.

Be called Flex, you know, like he just was like on a mission call w B L S right now.

I told him he's gonna be calling, and he was.

Like kind of setting things up for a win for me. So that felt good.

I mean, listen, your gift makes room for you and the the relationships, the very good relationships and the things that you've imparted along the way, along the journey, all calming it to make this moment, you know, even more special because it's just like you said, calling cats is making place for your off the top. Like I was immediate like oh yeah, when they shoot that video, men that you shot it already, you got to keep it moving. But it's just really done.

People love it to the King King video because what I did is mis a gentleman named mister Upfront. I don't know if you're aware of him, but he's been shooting footage since like the mid eighties, and so he's got all of this footage that we were able to tap into so much that Vivo didn't believe that he owned all the footage and so he wasn't gonna sit there and do a licensing agreement for every piece of footage that he put in there.

But we said, you know what, we're gonna put this up.

And it is that one video that guys are always comments like, if you look in the comments, it's like thank you, thank you, oh you see us, you love us, Thank you to you and Queen Lati for doing this record. And I thought it was really necessary because nobody's really especially in hip hop, it's like everything that's wrong with a man, let me tell you, right, right, Well.

It's just like we're coming out of it though.

Okay, personally, as music is starting to shift again. I mean, and we've all been in music business for you know, our lives practically, and we've seen so many times where you know, that shift happens, you know, and I personally, I kind of I see it, you know, I see a little more emotions coming back, people speaking how they really feel, more so only just being a fad of like oh yeah, if I'm just as toxic as I possibly can be, or if I'm the killer.

Of all killers this week, you know what I mean.

I feel like that's that's starting to change in my opinion as I'm you know, as I'm experiencing it and seeing it and especially having kids and a teenage son, so I'm listening to what he's listening to and I'm like, oh, okay, you're starting to tap into something different.

Now.

It's starting to be more like it's starting to be you know what I mean, it's.

You know, more reality, more you know, love songs. And then I'm like, Okay, I hear a melody coming from the room, you know what I mean.

Listen, we went through a moment where we didn't have any melody. Even from the R and B side, they were taking out some of the melody, and.

I'm like, this is dark, this is weird.

Yeah, but I feel like we're I feel like we're getting back to that space in my opinion.

No, I love it.

I love it.

I remember one time going into a gym and literally it felt like war. It was like the darkest hip hop that you could ever listen to while working out.

But I guess if they you.

Know, I said the guys like that's.

That was the music. It just was like so dark. I could not wait to get out of the gym. I was like, this is too much.

Yeah, but yes, it has taken a turn, and especially with R and B, like, I'm really feeling the young cats coming up and giving a different perspective on not just getting all of the women they can, but actually choosing one and say I'm gonna spend some time.

I'm loving on you.

I'm liking how this is going, and you know it, it feels good to see it brighten.

Up a little bit.

You're gonna get these young the junctions back to courting.

Yeah, putting, well, you got to get the women to agree.

To but I think they will. Okay, I think they will.

I mean personally, I believe I believe that that that most people follow things they believe are cool at the moment. And I think when someone that they deem as cool try something different, are goes back to grab what's always been that's been cool and said, hey, no, no, no, no, no, this is this is how it's supposed to.

Yeah.

And if you're a leader of that, you know what I mean. Now it's you know, the conversation gets different. So I just think that you know, we just need, you know, a couple more than you younger cats to feel like they can stand in front of it and not feel a way about somebody being like, oh you only got one girl.

Well yeah right, it's.

Like me, you know what I mean.

So, speaking of like going back to things, you being a pioneer in this whole rap world, especially from the female side of it, Like what made you say because we talked off camera and you know, we were talking about growing up in the whole thing, But what made you say, like, you know what I want to rap?

This is this is what I'm about to be on right right? Uh?

Well I was.

I was rapping ever since sequence, you know, you know, sequence infinitse, no requests sequence is bing g B Blondie and okay, okay, and hearing them and that was a lot of melody during that time, and then hearing the message and Lottie Dottie and I felt like, ooh, this is something to get into.

So I was doing it for fun.

But it wasn't until I heard Salt and Pepper and I was like, oh, oh, I'm gonna do this. And then that's when I really started paying attention and writing and yeah and cultivating.

Yeah.

Because okay, so you it's crazy how things. You know, the manifest is the big word. But even you seeing that moment in saying that's what I'm going to do at any moment, are you thinking, well, let me also have this plan B, you know, to make sure that just a case.

Yeah.

Well, even when I said that's what I was going to do, it wasn't at the sacrifice of.

What I already was going to do, which was going to go to school. Yeah.

So it just happened to be that it all kind of fell into line prior to school, and so my mom was like, I don't want you to go all the way to Norfolk State University. With this record deal, I would rather you stay in New York City.

You had your record deal, Yeah.

I got my record deal when I was in my last year of high school.

I got a record deal in high school.

Yeah, and the record was on the radio. So I'm like, walking through the hallways.

Are you cracking? Are you acting out? Yeah? You acting? Senior year?

It was a fun time acting Yeah, it's a fun time.

Did you get most likely to succeed?

That's a good question.

Hey, guys, I do have a record deal. I'm succeeding. I'm going somewhere.

I don't know if you've seen this happened? Did you have a video out? And all that? Uh not?

For I cram to understand you.

That was the first single that was in the bottom half of nineteen eighty seven, And in January I graduated, so I left six months early.

Do you get a record deal in high school?

I just went and at the time it was an audition, but I didn't know to even call it that. I was going to meet the people that own the record label. And I got there and I sat my rhymes. You don't have my little book, And at this point I had already been rehearsing with George lucy and who is Full Force's father. So he would come to my house every Saturday and we would practice. And so about the time I got to the audition, I was like, I

Did they give you like this is what this is what we like about you, this is what's dope about you. Where you can expound, where you could build on like using those outside.

Of just she's ready to go.

She's ready to go, and we're gonna let her do whatever she wants. And most of that first album existed in that book Light as a.

Rock then, yeah, cause you were writing about yeah before you ever even got a deal.

Yeah.

I think the only song from that first album that I didn't have written might have been Light as a Rock, and then I just wrote it to the music okay, yeah, but everything else was kind of written already.

Did you know did you know at the time.

I know nothing, but you can say the rest.

Did you have an idea that your voice was different?

Oh? I don't think so. I knew that.

Carol Ford, who did New York radio that our voices sounded alike.

And I was like, Oh, I'm gonna do radio. That's what I'm gonna do.

And so that's why I was headed to Norfolk State University to major in communications, because.

That's what I was gonna do. But not to the degree that I know now right.

I just I remember performing at Latin Quarters and later my manager telling me that Red Alert said she's not gonna make it. She's too monotone, and I was like, oh, okay, mono tone. Well shit, I'm just talking very different from what was happening in hip hop prior to nineteen eighty eight. Well, even rock Kim always just talked to me, but he was the beginning of that. I'm just smooth, just talking, telling a story, no extra who aff And so I.

Was like, okay, well we'll see.

Okay.

It's great to have people who understand.

Who you are, what it is.

That you do, how important you know, respect for what it is that you do, along with who it is that you are. Now, of course, I've got plenty of friends that are not in entertainment.

As well.

Who are worthy of friendship and since yeah, but those are some of the names and Chuck Chuck d is a really good friend of mine. Kris One is a good friend of mine.

Yea, I feel like.

That generation of music, I know what you're I know where you're going, really stuck together, really stuck together. And maybe it goes back to those fresh fests, you know, tour style tours where it's ten people on the road together, like really getting to know each other at a young age too, because you weren't the only person that was nineteen twenty.

It was a couple of artists that were Yeah, nineteen twenty, twenty two, twenty four.

You guys are meeting each other at a really young age and growing together and becoming family. And I think now it's so spread it's a little more spread out.

But do you think that the messaging in the music at that time also helped with that?

Absolutely, you were a part of self destruction, You're part of song something of something, but which was a very pivotal and major part of the music business and had this powerful messaging behind it, you know what I mean, and something that I think that that's something that's something to stand on and that's something to connect to that we may not have now.

And something that is that was that is that was ultimately connective. It just kept you guys locked in and in a common goal on that same course like today is so divided. It's so divided because everybody's trying to get their bag. It's I see so much value in team because I come from that. You know, once I found the Boys and Girls Club in Milwaukee, and then once I found the football team, and then the basketball team, and then and then a group. I never wanted to

No, No, you're absolutely right.

There are.

There are moments where my whole thing is we cool, let's find something to work on together. Because now we're that age where we can kind of pick and choose what it is that we want to do. And my thing is I'm immersed in work.

I love my work. So either will see one another on.

These bits, you know, these little bitty moments, or will create something together so that you know, let's let's do a movie, let's do a song, let's do you know.

Whatever the case is.

Yeah, I love that. I want to. I like this this little list right here that says accolades. So I don't know. Honorary doctorate of music, humanitarians, I too have a honorary doctorate and and and the masters as well. They're not gonna give me one because I'd be talking.

I've done the work, Jay, I've done the work.

That's terrible. Trophies right, those are your agrees.

Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award, President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, Philanthropy Hip Hop Sisters Foundation, over a million in scholarships awarded. Mm hmm. That's awesome, thank you, that's awesome. Health advocate official spokesperson for the Johnson and Johnson Mayaloma Awareness National Campaign. What don't you do? I bet you, I bet I can kill you if you break out with young nigga.

You don't want this, That's what I don't do you.

So, were these all things that were just kind of along your journey or did you plan out some of these things, like this is some of the stuff I want to be a part of, even before you know, because as we're working and things are coming to you, obviously you're saying yes or no the certain things. But did you have did you set out for any of the.

Only thing, the only thing on there that I set out for was the Hip Hop Sisters Foundation to give scholarships away to give people further in their education. Everything else, yeah, just came. But I guess you're planning for it with the work that you actually do.

So yeah, and how did the foundation start?

Oh goodness, Well, I had used my name or allowed people to use my name with other foundations for other causes, other campaigns, you know, musicians for art, AIDS, awareness, gun anti gun violence, you know, all those types of things. And then finally I was like, I want to start my own foundation. But it's not so easy to find an executive director.

You might know that.

But so at some point doctor Lynn Richardson saw Hip Hop Sisters, which at that point we were on ning you know, the Ning platform. We had about two thousand women MC's, DJ's, journalists, photographers, everybody who was really into hip hop music and they could join us and men could join too.

Just as long as you respected the women in the space.

And so she saw that and she was like, wow, well, before I was a graduate of Northwestern, before I was an executive at JP Morgan, if I was hip hop, I'm going to reach out to light. And she reached out to me and asked me, did I want to start a foundation? I was like, you gotta be kidding me. Yes, of course I do. And about four months later we had five and one C three status and we were giving away scholarships.

That's how it started.

How long have you guys had the foundation?

About fourteen years now and our last.

Her last efforts were with a partnership with Dillard University HBCU, New Orleans.

Yeah. Television projects rhyme.

Oh that's the little baby that went away.

We did two seasons. It was great.

I think it was just too clean because my thing is I was trying to create the Yesteryear sitcom where everybody could sit down and watch it.

Family.

Yeah, yeah, the family. And so we had we had a good spend. Now I'm playing a dirty detective.

But it's on Angel Angel. Yeah you're dirty detective.

Well, you know, she's in a rush to somebody got to go down for this crime. Now it may not be the person that did it, but somebody somebody's going to do sea.

Yeah that dirty.

Yeah, that's dirty.

That's dirty. Maybe they may be guilty of something. It's just calmer coming to bite your children's book.

Oh yeah, that's coming this Christmas with a full push. That's with Van Van.

Yeah.

Matter of fact, I think the last time I saw you all, Van Van might have been there. I don't know if you all got a chance to speak to her. But she's a hip hop sensation. She just released her first album, her debut album at five years old. During the Essence Festival, she performed on the main stage at the Convention Center. She let me perform with her. Yeah, five, we have a song called too Bold with Rhapsody the Bratt and myself with Van Van five.

Yeah.

Well she just turned six earlier this month, but yeah, she's five, bro. Yeah. She introduced the Queen Latifa segment that I produced for the Kennedy Center Honors last year.

So she's.

Yeah.

So we have a book coming together and this Christmas. Yeah, Okay, what's the name of the book?

Rhyme Time Adventures with fan Van And that is so awesome.

Nice. Nice. Her ecosystem is crazy already.

She's a part of doggie Land. She plays a character on doggie Land called Vancy. Yeah, she cooking animated series.

You are a distinguished member of the Hip Hop Council of the Kennedy Center.

This is true.

Distinguished And then they got running by you.

It's a lot of us and there was always a vote involved. But what that relationship has allowed me to do is some really great, some great content at the Kennedy Center. So we did I Am Woman a couple of years ago. We brought all the female MC's into the Kennedy Center that hadn't performed there before.

So we had Remy.

Ma and the Brat and and.

Then we went back last year and we did Rhapsody and Cash Doll.

And Bahammadia carry it up a little bit.

And this past year, as a matter of fact, I reached out That might have been while I reached out to you, because I talked to Tyresee about doing a Mother's Day special and he was like, Okay, you gotta you gotta get tanged, you gotta get to you.

Reached out about Mother's Day.

He was booked. Oh yeah, he was booked for that. You were booked for Mother's Day.

So it was him. I was talking to.

No about the show. Yes, about the show, about the show, look at that about the show?

Was me? Nobody definitely told you that Tank said what you want?

That might have been. That was another year.

Ever say Tank said what you want?

That was another year.

I know I got to see you in these streets. I would never no way. Here's my question to you. Yes, as you observe the terrain a female rap at the moment, what are your thoughts?

Mmmm?

I think there's so many, so many You know that it used to be like that and then everything went away, and then you.

Know, Nikki came on the scene. It was crushing it.

Like she was everybody's songs.

To people to put in category with her. Yeah she was. She's that good.

Yeah exactly.

And so you know, now the day that we're in, we've got so many that are coming from different, uh geographical spaces as well as content. But what it is that they're talking about, how it is that they dress. So to me, to see this many feels like we've turned the corner on them believing in themselves, because that's the first order of business. If you don't think that you can do it, or you don't really consider yourself a business, it's not gonna it's not gonna really go down for you.

Or it'll come up and then go down for you very quickly.

And so I like to see the ladies making their moves and looking at themselves as a viable business and putting people to work.

I think the female dominance in R and B and hip hop has been has been very apparent for the last five six years. I know, we've been getting not

You know what's so funny is I remember I was somewhere backstage and that song that Neo had stripper something, Yeah, yeah, because I was. I was really upset about it because I had learned to trust him with the sexy love and you know, he had so many that was just so warm and you know, cuddly feelings, and then he had stripped something and I was just like and so I saw him backstage.

I was like, Yo, what's up. Yeah, I was like, what's.

Up, dude? Okay, my question. Yes, he can't like sexy love and strippers because.

He can't like whatever.

Yeah, I mean he could like whatever he likes, right, I just you know, it's I put a lot of trust into what it is that I listen to, and I'm only going there because I know that that's trustworthy. And it just shocked me. But when I asked him, he was like, you know what, it's kind of what's happening. It wasn't even like he was attached to it like I did it, what it was like, I understand where you're coming from, Like.

I do you feel like that as an artist?

That you know because even when you were when you're reading off your hits, they're not all the same.

M hm.

Really there's a variety, and as you were saying, you were evolving at times. So yeah, sometimes you know it may.

Go a little further, let's expected.

Do you feel like as artists should we be held to what is? You know, what is maybe.

Of us a step on the ladder.

Or a willhouse in a sense. Right, what's your thoughts on that?

I'm going to give you my thoughts on that. I was asked somewhere else.

About just my take on music and all of the profanity and all of what exists. I know that when I put Kars one, I'm not gonna hear him say something that's derogatory towards women.

Same with Heavy D.

I'm not going to turn on Heavy D and get something about some violence. He was the lover man, and there are just some areas where I felt like I wanted to say something to him.

Did I have the right?

He could have told me to go get kick rocks, like but I'm a true fan, and I just wanted him to know that it's okay to keep doing that thing, like don't it's it's a hut to what it is that he just you know offered, and that is there was this bubble of time where people are you know, climbing in to say whatever it is they want to say about women, and you know, it just was a space where I wanted him to remain what it was that he had given to us that felt so good

You know, He's been one of the best ever well to do that. Yeah, I understand what you're.

Saying, but yeah, I mean.

Maybe when I did Roughneck, people wasn't into rough Neck. You know, it could have been somebody that was older looking, like what is she doing with them? All them crazy looking folks in the video, you know, all the rough people. But those were the guys that I was growing up with around the time.

You know, those were.

The roughneck Caribbean from every you know, island in the water, from Jamaica to Haiti to Barbados. Those were the guys that I was making a tribute.

To, right, So, yeah, lyricism or entertainment.

That's such a blanket statement.

Which one weighs more to you?

Which one weighs more to me? Lyricism?

Like, if you're looking for an artist right now? Yeah, in twenty twenty four, yeah, twenty twenty five, Yeah, you are looking to sign an artist.

Mm hmm.

That is heavier on the lyric.

As opposed to entertainment. Okay, so now you're painting a whole picture. Okay, so that's business.

So entertainment m hmm.

For my listening ear nothing to do with signing anybody.

I'm looking for the lyricism. That's what gets me, you know, excited.

Who's your favorite lyricist right now?

Zoom?

You don't have to say me.

You know who are you know who I enjoy listening to?

Uh?

Vic Mensa?

Yeah, super talented, super talented. Yeah, I like him, super talented, super talented.

There's so many others, but like, how often do people say Vic Mensa?

You know?

It's like I want to give some shine to him already.

Know, Kendrick is all you.

Know, because yeah, he's a serious, serious lyricist.

That's why I said him.

Who's your favorite lyricist right now? I mean.

It's Kendrick for me personally, I mean and and yes, I know it's the popular statement, but it's been that way for me for a long time where I just feel like I get I get a different type of feeling and storytelling when I.

Listen to Kendrick, what is the feeling. The feeling is.

A bit of an uprising, you know what I mean, Like it makes me feel like doing something.

And it's funny because you talked about gym.

I work out the Kiddrick, you know what I'm saying, Like I work out to King Kuntam, You know what I'm saying, Like, you know, we can talk about the disc records and that whole thing and that and that in that moment of time, but that's not a highlighted part of my appreciation of his music, you know what I mean. Like I'm I'm really tapped into the damn album into you know what I mean, mister Morale album, Like I really listened to it and I follow his life in it of the life that he's giving me

What I mean.

So I love the storytelling in it. I love the storytelling in it. Like I'm I'm big on you know. As as a writer, I want to be able to close my eyes and feel like I've been somewhere, you know what I mean in the in that song and that story, and I feel like he I feel like he's a person who paints pictures and I don't.

Feel like yeah for like all artists pank pictures. Nope, I get it, you know what I mean. Which I think we should mm hmm, you know what I mean.

You know, it's it's cool when you you you have these situational songs of like you jumped to one part of a situation to another.

No, like I'm looking for like walk me through this day and let me have a.

So your daddy met top one.

That's crazy to me.

That is we know, I'm all for that. You really have a you really have a gift when you can do that. Yeah. And so as a as a lyricist for me that.

I'm all about that storytelling.

Yeah, I think from a hip hop side, it's Kendrick and then from an they try to say she's not R and B, but I believe she's R and B sis Okay, you know what I mean, Like it's an alternative and it's it's alternative R and B and that.

That girl is singing her heart out R and B songs.

But like listening to songs like kill Bill and it's like right, you know, I told Punch when he was here, I was like, yo, scared me.

Make a girl feel like that, because that's you know what I mean. But when songs give you those type of emotions.

You having a song like Georgie Porgie, like I literally listened to that as a kid, and I'm listening to it, I'm like, oh, man, like this is a real movie.

Those came from, you know, Carol King and Carol Bear Sega, James Taylor and real players and you know, just listening to those story to those folk songs.

Really had me. And it's funny because I think they.

Had KRS one too, because he'll use a couple of like a Dion Warwick you know thing.

And so would.

I was like, oh, okay, we see and Daylight Soul. You know, you see the artists that have an appreciation for storytelling.

Yeah yeah, but Melly Mel with.

That message, that was it for me because I had never been to the Bronx, so it was like.

Wow, this is what the Bronx looks like.

And he painted the picture so well that finally when I did see video and I did go to the Bronx, I was.

Like, oh got it.

It was familiar. Yes, indeed, I think I think n w A was that for ice Cube particularly? Oh yeah, absolutely, you know what I mean, like painting that picture of what LA and Compton coast right right? Like what is Compton right right? And where can I get a Raiders coach?

Because they didn't even have the man and none of the stories they had me gone.

I knew all of the words from the clean versions because church kids, that's all I can only get on the box, I knew all of them. They were painting a picture so crazy about this place called Comping that I wanted to go to really with my rat.

I got here, he asked if he was going to play this thing?

Did you know how I wrapped on the remix for Maybe I Deserve.

You?

Sure did?

I sure do? That's right, but the remix.

But I talked about you. Sure did. Yeah, I've been to like can we find that verse? Absolutely?

It's online, is it?

Yeah, I've been rocking with like I gotta she said you deserve, I tell you, I got it. I've been I've been doing this. Yeah, back then, probably Toxic record Tank.

Maybe I deserve.

I think I was telling him what he didn't deserve. No, no, no, I think I was saying what you.

Deserve. I deserve. I can't remember the angle I can.

Oh, yeah, absolutely, I'm pulling that. Yeah, I remember that.

Had to be. When did that record come? Two thousand, thousand and two thousand remix?

Probably two to two thousand and one. Yeah, yeah records. He makes his first hit, Yeah, my first. That's why I would never send a message ask her what she wants to do. That's been blessing me. You found it, he found it. Distinguished board member, see Light. You are part of so many iconic moments, the voice yourself, Lovos. We know along the way there's been some tunes, wholesome tunes that have blessed your soul. We would like to know what those tunes are. Here we call that show m hm up.

Your top five, Yeah, your top.

Five reason.

Long, We gotting new be.

No, you know you Long dude.

We want you to gay.

Yes, you.

Let me tell you it pays to be in church in church.

Bank okay, right, Yes, your top five R and B singers?

This is groups too?

Is your list?

Earth Winding Fire?

Yeah, brothers. I'm just saying I just saw Ron Ansley, did you personally? Just sitting at the bar and in Mr Childs in New York. Of course he was looking like he owned the place, being mister because he is. I need you to write me some records, Tank, No problem there. When would you like that?

Wait?

Say it again, I need you to write me some records. Tank. I don't forget about me?

How could I? So that's three.

This is just someone that I go back to every time. It's Lionel Richie and Lionel Richie and.

The Commodore mm hmmm.

Both yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah. It's two different voices, Yes.

Different voices, two different types of songs. Yeah, and both of.

Them are legendary.

I think that's it. Fine, got too spots, I'm gonna keep it back then.

No one's ever got got spots? Who could get to Spot? You know? Who could get to Spike? Jackson.

No, Little Michael and Big Michael. No Mike, no, Mike Jackson and Jackson five Jackson.

Not even one of the He's the greatest kid singer. No, no, no, who oh no, you can't fool with Mike. They can't. Nope, I ain't going now.

Stevie is another conversation, Stevie, Stevie.

I respect Tavin, Tevin was Michael Michael. This is what I'm coming from. I'm wrote better than Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson, he's the voice, his voice.

There are only two people's songs that kids have to sing when they come sing.

For you, Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonders. Those are the two. It's it's because they were classic songs, of course, sing with classic voices. I'm not going to discredit that. But Tevin Campbell's amazing. Tevin Campbell on Quincy Jones, Tomorroro, Welp, I respect it, I respect it. I respect it.

Okay, listen, it's it's no wrong answer.

I respect your answers.

Well, Michael Jackson could have got two spots, I think, I think, and Steve could.

Do you think? Do you think Lionel Richie and the commodoors. Which one is stronger, the com Line Rich and the Commodorees or the Jackson five. I'm still the Jackson five. Mm hm. Ushered in an error. I'm not arguing with you because I was gonna say, Joe to cy and Casey and Jojo could get two spots same voice though, same voice, because that was the thing that you you know, it was like it's literally two different voices for for Lino at those times. Yeah, yeah, you know what I mean, you know.

Yeah, that was a grunt.

Yeah, I've been singing different people. He sang with two different people.

Yeah, one with the seasoning, one without.

What's that chicken were talking about earlier?

I don't care your top five R and B songs?

Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah.

Well because you all talked about Stevie, he might have two spots.

Yeah, he's got so many.

Yeah, smash as. I'm gonna say, ass, leave that right there. They'll never be.

Steak that the first two spots.

Caught up in a rapture.

Why not? Yeah, why not?

It's something about that pretty wins really.

Right. That came on the other day.

I was just on my one of my playlists. I just yeah, yeah, mm hmmm.

I think it's maybe where I was in my life when it came out.

It's just a very feel moment. How many is that before?

No? Three, No four? To Stevie's No, I didn't do it.

I didn't do a second Stevie yet, I just did as.

Okay, they'll never be switching switch yeah, as just keep it as they'll never be around.

And then pretty pretty. So that is.

I'm gonna say human nature.

Yeah, great songwriting, Yeah, I just it's like, but why no, no, no, no, it's just some of the greatest musicality, some of the greatest lyric some of the greatest vocal that we will ever hear. Like those times as you speak on Stevie and Michael and the Commodores and Anita Baker Luther, it's like.

I can't get it back. Fuck yeah, how do we.

Get back to that m Every every piece was important, every piece, every person in that room. We just we continue to make the music. Quincy said, Quincy go through eight bass players.

Right right until send people home.

Until it's not someone else. It's not it's not hidden.

Like really listen to those Isley brother records.

It's a movie. It's the reason we have to keep earth win in fire.

It's why we have to keep sampling it.

It's why we have to keep running it back, because you can't recreate it. Yeah, what are we missing?

Mm hmm.

I'm saying that as a creative, it is an ultimate creative. What are we missing? Because that is fucking different?

It is, But nobody was saying that's good enough. It was do it again, m hmm, until it was oh that's perfect. I feel like, and you may you may see it different, but I feel like the more I go to studios when I'm in sessions and sometimes I'm a fly on the wall where I'm just there. I went to go see somebody, say what's up?

And I'm sit in the back and I listened to.

The producer and whoever the vocalist is, and they're like, oh, yeah, we'll.

Get we'll clean that up. Oh that did not exist. We'll clean that up. Did not exist?

Yeah, not exist.

There was no cleaning up. No, it's sing it again and again. And we've been singing this song for four days, is what it is.

But now you have artists like man I could have wrote the whole album, and that album may not stand the testa time, because I guarantee you, thriller was not made in four days.

Promise you, thriller wasn't made for all. Promised you wasn't made all.

I'm in agreement.

And we're still to this day.

Talking about these songs, these albums, those vocals, those mixes.

The instrumentation, Like, we're still talking about that. And to me, I think that.

Era now, you know, relying so heavily on technology, the engineer, or just.

A crediting laziness to a vibe.

Oh ouch, you know that reminds me.

You know, we've heard several stories from other people on how Jay doesn't write lyrics. Jay doesn't have to write lyrics. Some of you others need to write lyrics. You need to see what it is that you're saying.

Yeah, and he but he has a he has a different gift one. Yes, but I guarantee you he's wrapped that over and over in his head. Now, I'm you know, I don't think that it's oh, I'm just blurting out anything. He's not a blurt out anything, extremely calculated. So he's walking around reciting.

Formulating, and then when it's time to get to work, boom.

I'm rehearsed right, rehearsal getting right when somebody tell you like, okay, these are the this, this, this, this is the lines are you're going.

Through them right?

You know with Milk back in the early days, they would you know, I would say the rhyme and then you know, I would want to be done.

I'm done. They'd be like, uh, you know what I think you need to come in and do it. I was like, okay, what do I need to do?

And then he'd have to find the words that I could actually understand to be able to go in and give him what it was that he was asking for. And now it's systematic, like when I'm writing, there's a better way to say that, there's a better way to say this. We're not gonna rhyme that just because it's shock value. I'm over shock value. Let's make it have purpose. And that takes time. And that's what they were doing in that day. It wasn't a rush. They enjoyed the

I think you hit something with that.

They've also made us calculate the expense of taking our time, but the sessions are cheaper. I it's a milik because everyone has home studios now now. But that's now what got us out of it though.

Right, was the expense of being in a fifteen hundred dollars two thousand dollars a day studio.

Especially if making R and B, because we needed the works. I can only imagine what the thriller sessions, cause.

That's level I mean.

But it also is the grading selling album.

And the size if you're going for something of those studios.

Yeah, like just knowing just hearing the stories of Michael and how he moved and recorded in all the rooms that he didn't use and would show up and then be missing for two months, and are you kidding me? Yeah, okay, I'm sorry. Just when you started naming those songs, it just it just struck something like that music is. It's still shaping my life every time I hear those songs. When we hear those hows the do.

It's like, yeah, if I ever make it back, I'll give my favorite new.

Well you don't have to.

That's okay, because I gotta think about it, all right.

H I ain't saying no names. I ain't saying no names. I ain't saying no names. Ain't saying no names. Was we's weird what you did? Don't say ship saying name? Yeah?

He looked like, go.

We here we here we at that were at that part of the show. Will you tell us the story? Yeah?

Funny and fucked up funny? Oh, the only rude to the game. You can't say no names.

I can't say no names. Mmm. I you know. I remember going out with this guy and.

We were in my car and I was driving, but I had to go do something.

I had to interview Salt and Pepper for Word Up magazine, and.

I was dropping him off so that I could go do that, and then I was gonna come back and get.

Him, and he took my hand and put it in his mouth and bit.

The I had to pull my hand out of his mouth, and I was like, what is And then he took the key out of my ignition And at that point, I'm just I already know I'm not coming back to get him.

Once I hit him out.

Of my car, he said, so what you're gonna do.

You're gonna call your daddy. And I was like, oh, this Nigga's crazy. No, just stop playing. Let me get the key. I'll be back.

So you're coming back. Yeah, just give me the key, all right? And I never saw him again to this day.

That's what you know. Maybe he was a rough neck.

Never, No, that was more than a rough nck. That was accountable. He tried to eat my hand right.

Now, just because you had somewhere to go.

I don't I think it was his way of playing.

I was about to say, I think he was flirting.

He was flirting and he was testing the waters. Yeah, yeah, he comes back.

Oh I'm really good.

Whatever for ladies, the red flag I made.

Girl, he's so crazy.

Good for me, I knew better. And I've never seen him since. I mean I've seen him, but not we have never seen one another. And he is an R and B singer, all right, Yeah, that's not what we all.

We don't do that. As as as a distinguished member.

Nigga, stop biking. Hopefully she can't go where she can't don't bite.

Her and take her can stuck take a car key.

They're gonna put the kids to bed. I should be in a bait my way. Uh wow? And and you were.

You were like, yes, absolutely, I was on my way to interview. Matter of fact there someone sent it to me maybe about two weeks ago through a d M the cover of the Word Up magazine where I interviewed Salt and Pepper.

It was like celebrities interviewing celebrities.

You guy have some balls.

Or not?

I wonder does he even remember that he did it? Though I was a failed attempt, He probably forgot it was like or somebody else got bit and they're like, oh, I know who that was.

Already know what the they about to be looking r r rm Bier. I'm so sorry you went through that. Yeah you made it out. Thank you, We we love you.

Thank you so much for this.

Absolutely, thank you.

I appreciate you.

And I think I think that a collaboration of you and Jay on a hair care product.

Is.

That right?

Look, I'm the whole time, for real, the whole time, I'm like, these motherfuckers is wave keep my being I'm not making the cut. I did not know that's what your hair is always always waving. I'm glad to be putting it.

Listen. It was a rough morning.

I was like, I can't tell.

Let me try to get this together.

Hey, we hold you in high regard and thank you. We support you, We appreciate you. Anything you ever need from us, We are direct phone calls away album One of One.

The One of One album is out. Now Make a Living is the latest single.

Yeah, check it on out.

Please, awesome, awesome, thank you. As Killer Mike saying she's wrapping her ass off, yeah, he was wrapping her ass off. Thank you, Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Tank and this is the Army Money podcast, the authority on all things R and B R and B.

This has been a heavy episode.

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