R and B money, Honey, we are.
Than think about the child. We are the authority on all th R and B ladies and gentlemen. My name is Tank, and this.
Tell them what it is. Ship.
Yeah, hold on, hold on, yeah, motherfuckers, Oh, motherfucking yeah.
I'm not gonna do long intro.
You know why why because the people have been asking, not asking for two interview, demanding the interviews, threatening two interviews.
One was Jesus and the other was christ.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, ship ship.
I'm gonna be round right now, y'all can't funk with us?
Go ahead. I remember, I remember.
I remember walking into the studio on your second album and you're saying, big bro out, I want you to get on. I'm like, okay, cool, you know, come up there. You know, probably gonna help you, right, help you, help you really put the ship together. You know what I'm saying, because that's what I do, and help you put your ship together. You know what I'm saying. I'm on a high level. You know, I'm a high level producer, writing and singer. You know you probably need me. I'm on
the way. And I get in there and you play this song called take My Time, and you said, yeah, big brother, got I got. I kind of modeled it off after Sexual Pain and it's already good. You just you just sing your verse, right, this is your verse. And I was like, so he doesn't need.
And bro.
It was like the craziest I'd never seen a learning curve that small to where a first album, it was like people were giving you things.
Yeah, had to learn that was like school.
And by your second album you had already figured it out. And it was scary to see. I was like, where's he gonna be on his third album? Where's he gonna be? And now too many years later, now it's just records being broken. Now you're just breaking your own records.
I'm trying to set againness world records and it's not even it's not even close.
You know what I'm saying. We like to start to begin. I just had to start there because I just I just when I felt like I wasn't needed anymore musically, I just kind of.
Myself.
But I called him I was like being broken on the record. So it was like I didn't feel the record at that time. It would be like me stealing a record from you. What I'm saying that I didn't involve you in the record because I'm like, I was inspired by your song to do the song. So I was like, let me now get on the record with me, bro Like, and I can talk. I can talk a little bit more adult now on the song because I'm older, you know, before I had to learn him like, oh,
I can't say that, I can't say this. And then by the time, like even working with you from Kerry Hillson, I Donnis, you know, like working with all these different writers, Dre and Dal all of them, like back in the day, I was fifteen fourteen doing that album, my first album.
Man, that's that was like learning. So like I said, I was in school, like Okay, this is how you do it. This is how you make a song. There's a verse a pre course, and I didn't know none of that.
So you learned that over a summer, bro.
Man, That's what it felt like.
That's what it felt like.
I felt like that it took me to the place of being where I was the teacher. It took me to a place of being reverting back to a student.
Damn. Like watching him work like that, I was like, okay, he different. No, we literally like and.
I don't know if we've ever told you this, but we've literally worked with you, got in the car and then implement it some of the ship you do.
Bro, you may look at us like the big brother.
No, Nigga, we've literally worked with you and been like, nigga, did you watch out he and then he did.
His vocal this way.
Oh yeah, like you know we're paying attention. Yeah, that's sporadic. How how we record? Like I learned, remember how everybody used to have to record like we have to punch.
No, it was really no punching.
You had to sing that whole work, right, So once technology got faster, I was like, we can still do the same amount of effort as far as you remember. How how how do my stack? So how it's it's faster to me because it's like in section and I can just put them all together and then it looks like a painting.
So that's what I was kind of learning.
So if y'all, if y'all implemented certain ship, I'm like, damn, y'all was looking at what I was doing.
I'm stealing.
I used to.
A great word.
You know what I'm saying, Thank you stealing. I'm at the house like Jesus Christ.
How we get that?
How do we get that? I ain't gonna do the dance? Moved to go over and slow it down a little bit, like I ain't.
Make it do that.
He's here now, Chris is here, So Chris Brown. That's Nigga Brown. Just so you know, that's Nigga Brown over there.
And he always mentions you when he mentions his dance move for some odd reason.
Because you have to understand, I'm the older version of Chris Brown. Since this genuine won't do the dances. You know what I'm saying, I tell the nigga the nigga first of all, come on, due to the fucking pony dance. He won't do the fucking pony dance. So it upsets me.
I won't do it.
So now I got to pick up the mantle. I gotta go back to my freaky days. You know what I'm saying. Video I'm doing summersaults. You know what I'm saying. I'm blowing up fucking buildings. You know what I'm saying, Like, I got to go back to those days just to show people I'm really that.
Yeah, So what are you telling you? Is he was Yusie for you.
No, I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is, don't don't think I ain't got feet.
Y'all got I got feet.
They don't all work the same.
No, Brown, that's going to be too left feet. But it's the left them.
Let's go to the beginning, the beginning of when when did somebody identify that you had something special?
Or when did you I mean, as you know, like I think I was like probably about nine when I
was like, Okay, I actually can sing. I was in the choir and I was like, oh, they gave me the leads and I was like I'm seeing people like yeah baby when I sing church Yeah, And I'm like, yeah, oh, I really sound good to these people because you know, your family members always hate man, shut up, you don't sound like So I really took a series like nine to ten, and then my mom was we were in Tappa handing, and I was like, look I met these people.
We just got to drive like an hour and a half away, Like you met the people.
Yeah, I met him. I met the people through through through like one guy. I met him through like three different people. So I maintained a close relationship with a guy that was around my age, and we and we always did music, but he would he would always dance. So he'll take me to like the radio shows, like, look, let's go up to the radio station while they doing like they knew artist stuff. Let's let's see if we can slide in there and we just play our stuff and we just dance.
So I hung with him, and then he got noticed by like.
Troy Taylor's people and a group of different different uh like guys that that they knew around the Virginia area.
So from there we.
Started working and then I met the people I met in New York and so now that was like all in like a three to four year process. But it was like as soon as I said, Mom, want to do this, it was like basketball practice. Okay, drive I don't know what You're in the studio till six in the morning, Drive back nine to eight and what age shit ten?
Eleven?
Oh man, yeah ten, shout out to yeah mama.
Mama.
Mama was son the vision she and she made sure I still went took my ass to school. But at the same time, she was like, all right, if you want to do this, you're gonna have to have the same discipline and you can't be slacking off on certain shit.
So I got too.
Much energy as it is, So I was like, shit, I'm not feeling I'm finna do this.
So people writing songs for y'all like producing songs. Yeah, a group, like what's going on?
Uh? Well, I was never.
I was never in a group. The only group I was in was with my boy TJ. Shout out to TJ.
Free him. Uh but for him, yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
He'd be out in the buy it some time. But back in the day, he was the rapper, you know what I'm saying. And I would get on the songs with him and just be on the courses like you know, do hooks and stuff. And we would write little stuff and it really won't like good at the time when we was young, but it was for our age.
It was like exceptional, Like okay, y'all got your potention.
Remember he was man.
Fans my my rap name. So he was TJ nice and see sizzle he was. He was a sizzle man.
It was I was playing basketball, so sa sizzle was a word you can say.
Back then, I wouldn't be hurricane and he he niggas would have never.
Made the hell out we would have made it get him out of here.
I would have been the punk ass executive y'all come sing probably man, if you don't get sizzled and hurricane the funk.
Out of here.
Man again, bro, look at R and B.
Look what R and B is done for y'all too, Man, what was the next level up? When it was like?
When was it like, Okay, this ship is getting serious or we found a record or we found a moment where so when I started, pros are starting now.
So I had my first I think it got serious to me when I booked my and this had nothing to do with music at the time, but because we showcased our musical talent, we booked the job. It was for a g unit campaign, right, and so like I was like, you know what, fifty c hes gonna.
Be able to see it. He gonna be at the vote at the shoot. We can give him my demo.
We could sing, you know, the typical like y'all want to get signs ship. So we actually did that audition. They was like, man, you kids are phenomenal, and they booked us. Boom, we got there. We went, we backstage with all of them, like but I never really hung with fifty at that time. He just was always respectful, like what's up y'all boom, But we was around Lloyd Banks a couple of different.
Guys, but we were bad little kids. Like you know what I'm saying.
We already had weed and ship like, so we was like, we're trying to smoke our weed on the side.
They're like, man, what y'all doing, and so like nah, we wrapped and we see. So we started.
Performing with them and then they was like you know what, man, y'all niggas is dope. And then I remember one niggas like man, but we don't know how to fuck markt No, damn kids, we some gangsters.
So I was like, so I was like, damn, Like I understood it.
But it was just like, Okay, this ship is about to be real for us because other artists actually looking and that not saying the typical art that's cool, you know what I'm saying.
So like real real artists who do.
And people were looking up. There was the hottest group at the time, you know what I'm saying.
So like for us that was like seeing seeing gods, like okay, cool, we get to see all our all our idols in one and they like our stuff. And then from there our demo tapes started going out, like we had a but I was only how I discovered I had a solo song that I did.
It's called Whose Girl Is that? You can go look at her YouTube.
I was like, I think I was twelve or thirteen when I shot it, So this was yeah, so so, but it was like back then, you know that was that. It was like the bootleg videos, you know how man, it's gotta be two thousand and what three?
Might it might have been on DVD? I thought I thought it might have been on VHS.
No, no, no, we had we had it on the debut.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
If it was VHS, I would be like, oh you heard the the popping before the videos stuff.
Yeah.
But when we did we did the video like it wasn't It wasn't really expensive, but you know, because it was independent, we was like, okay, cool, we're gonna we're gonna shoot it like this. And the demo tape actually the video didn't even go out because we didn't have no platform to put it on. We would just ship ship it or shop it with our demos. So the demo I was number seven out of a song of maybe like twenty eight, but with seven different or seven or eight different artists.
It was like a damn mixtape mixed up.
So but basically they were shopping it out to other labels to see and I remember Tina Davis to this day shout out to Teena Davis. She she listened to the songs like who's this kid? And then I want to meet this kid? And that's when I went to death Jam and she had to meeting with us, and then from there they wanted to sign us, and then you know, a merger happened. She left and I was like, hold on, but Tina, you listened to me first, so
could you you want to manage me? I don't got no manage You're like, She's like cool, but you want to stay here or I can get you some other deals?
I said you, So does the company get the deal and you're part of that deal.
So what it was was the company did a deal with me.
When I ended up signing with with job at the time, the company, we we just paid them out for the work that they already did and then we gave them points on the album and they would Yeah. So they always get credited so that that that classic album, they're always going to eat from it, you know what I'm saying. So the way I looked at it was it was cool because they didn't hold me into a nah, you gotta be like this we get we taking your publishing, they need all this.
They didn't.
They didn't strong arm at all because and they believed in the dream, you know what I'm saying.
To this day.
TJ's father was the guy who really put it together. So me and TJ are brothers, even with his kids with everything. So it's like, how how I looked at it was like, damn, they gave me a shot and they let me.
They let me do what I needed to do because there have been labels that have held artists and you never get a chance to see if an artist is going to become a star because they're just trying to do what they consider to be business instead of actually caring about the artists.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then Mark Pitt's how they did it with us. With Mark pitts uh, the actual production company I was working with.
They they brought me right to Mark Pits with Tina.
So when we went to a job, they was like you know what, we don't want to let y'all leave the building. Like and I built a bigger rapport with Mark out of any other A and R that I would meet, Like, you know, Kevin Loules was cool as hell, but like Mark Pitts was like more young. He was energetic, like he was like, hey man, let's and you know, job had everybody too. They had Britney Spears, Aaron Carter at the time, recipes, uh r, Kelly, they had everybody,
you know what I'm saying. So I'm looking like who who's going to be the best for the genre that I'm doing?
Who's going to be the best R and B genre?
You're already thinking about that fourteen?
Yeah?
Because I needed. I needed.
I always always wanted to execute a plan and know that it comes with a lot of shit, Like you know what I'm saying, Like I'm not okay, I'm not gonna just do this right now to get some girls and then go back home. Anything I could do to not go back home, like you know what I'm saying, To elevate my life, I think I planned. I'm very imaginative, so so my my what is it called? My manifestations were already like years in advance, like I want to do this so you know.
So you said Tina Davis shout out to Tenna Davis shout out to the area. Yeah, yeah, what's your when you get with Tina Davis?
What is what is?
First of all, you spoke on it just like a little bit in terms of you saying like something was something about her made sense for you in terms of saying, you know, I want to roll with you. Yeah, what was that thing that you just connected with that just made you like because that's a different type of because you already in a building.
Yeah, I feel like, well she did.
She really kind of like showed me the first the first ten minutes of me being in the office because we came in there. Me and TJ came in there red rags on beads like I hadn't read to get it. We came, we came on some gangs, trying to look tough. She's like, take that shit off, take all that off.
Boom boom.
And when we when I started performing, she would be like, stop do this when you perform, act like that. This person the only person.
So she gave me direction that i've that I've never experienced, and I was like, this is the sharpening that I need in order to be big. You gee what I'm saying.
So once once she did that, I was like, damn, she believed in me and gave me a chance with somebody could have they could have just let me go out how I thought it.
Was gonna be.
And then it was they were like, we don't want this. You know what I'm saying. We don't want this kid. She shaped it.
So I was like, you know what, I don't want to I don't want to traverse through this whole kind of thing and not know where the fuck I'm going that right there. I want to see if she wants to manage me or be a part of it, because she she kind of like opened the spark up in my in my creative brain or seeing what I really needed to be.
And I think the reason I was asking you that is because as as like, just as new artists emerged, I think, you know, we see we see new artists with this with definitely a great level of confidence. But I want artists to make sure they're putting themselves in a position with people that challenge them, Yeah, challenge them to be better.
What is it called what we conditioning, not conditioning like when we were younger. You have to go through artists development development, That's what it was.
So so as far as what we have to do is like you got to go through media training. You gotta go.
You got to know how to answer a question, like you got to know how to think about lost art.
To lead the interview. Yeah, like there they have a goal. But I have a fucking call, right, I got ship that I'm selling exactly. Okay, what question you asked me. We don't get back to this fucking if I promise you. That takes preparation, though, that takes preparation. And I remember my first time meeting you in New York. I think you're like fourteen, maybe.
About to be fifteen, at Ethiopia's office when she was in publishing at the time at the Universal Music Publishing Company, and I was there on the writing trip, and I never forget he walked in there. She said, it's a kid you got to meet. She's like, you have to meet him. She's like he only in here for minute, but you got to meet him. And she brought you to that room and I literally, like you said, within five ten minutes, I was like, oh, he about to be the biggest on the road.
He was in the writing room.
I was in the little writing room. I was in a little writing room. I was like, Yo, whoever the.
Fuck that is that nigga? Everybody in trouble.
She's like, you know how that she is because she was signing you from a publishing seat. She was working with you on that, so you know, of course it's it's kind of one of those and you know this stage where everybody everywhere you're going before you crack off, your auditioning everywhere pretty much just in your personality whatever it is. So when I tell her, she's like, yeah, I think you start. I'm like, yo, he got it.
It's like he has it.
And I hadn't seen anything like that because to me, you were already even at fourteen fifteen, in my opinion, you were already in the space of, oh, he's going to be able to transition into an adult artist too, even though you hadn't put out none of your kid record. I saw it with you and just from your personality back, you know, but what they used to call call it managed nigga, he was managed.
Yeah. I was looking at everything with a skirt. Who that what's the name? That's the country you want? It starts early in the country. Yeah, you grow fast and fastest.
So you're making when you get with you.
Now you start making rounds right because you you made you made heavy rounds very early that most most new artists don't get to make.
You know what I'm saying. And you made a stop at the underdogs.
Oh yeah, facts, oh yeah.
And I'm looking at this little nigga, I'm like, okay.
I was nervous too.
I ain't a lot going in there with y'all because you gotta think I'm still learning singing, like it's still I had a natural talent, but like to be in there and and here y'all running scales all that.
I'm in there sweating. But I'm not going to let you.
You weren't scared. You was going back with us, though. He was like dar devil. Look at him. I'm like, can you dance? He said, yeah, nigga. I was like you then, I think it was a DVD or type of something, and I said.
That showed you the whole I say, that's when we did the little school runs and I was showing you like the performance.
Said oh you you can, damn.
Yeah.
I'm just I'm just trying to find a win. I'm like, can you hoop niggas? Yeah, nigga, I can hoop? Yeah, let's And it was like at every turn it was like.
This nigga is different. This nigga do everything. He sings, he danced, he hoop, he manish. I love this nigga and not to speed forward.
But there was a point where I was like, Okay, first you get a hear record, let's start there.
Out the gate, out the gate. There was no sputter for you at all.
I was. I was just surprised though I was.
I was like, I didn't even realize how big the record was gonna be.
Like not to kill it now.
But I hated the record because I was doing R and B R and B songs, so like Scott's stories, I was like, man, I don't know what a hit is, so I'm not gonna tell him that this is not.
A hit, right, And he got a gang of hits.
Yeah.
So I sat in there like, man.
I don't really like this.
Saw me in Miami.
I'm trying to tell teen and all them like I don't think this is fun. Me this song, ain't. We got so many other songs like the your song.
The your song. I'm like, so.
I'm thinking all of that type because I wanted to be more, more vulnerable or not, but I also wanted to kick ass on the dance and I wanted to show off that.
So they was like, nah, trust me, this is it put it out and I didn't.
When it blew up, I said, what the It's like, I'm still in like, what is it called imposter syndrome? To this day, I still know the feeling of how I felt when that shitent crazy.
So when you do your difference, we went by that because I always asked this question. And at this point you're like fourteen fifty fifteen, you get to do did they let you touch the money?
So?
How I did it? See a lot of people don't know. I didn't get signed for like you know how people get signed for. Oh, I got signed for me and eight men. Back then it won't so I got signed for like one hundred and fifty k, right and so and then from there, because I was under age, my mom was in control of it, but most of it.
Would be like a trust yeah yeah.
The Cooglan account, Yeah, Cooglan Acount, so I wouldn't be able to touch it.
So obviously we could.
She could go and withdraw stuff if I wanted to make purchases or I wanted to do stuff.
But nah, I still was every bit of a teenager that they made me.
So as a teenager, what's the what's the first thing you buy?
Oh? Do you escalate? Bro?
Off the deal?
That's what you got? No, you know what it was?
Was it an escalator? And it was like an I don't know if it's not. It might have been escalator or for Ford something.
I remember. It's a big truck. It's been a while.
I had the Lamborghini doors on it, and like I put the doors that come up, like your first your first car.
Had Lamborghiny doors. This is getting I was about to get.
I swear I was about to get a Honda Civic. Bro, I was about to get a put put that was gonna be my first car.
But it's like it's definitely your uncle.
God, you definitely got to be real related.
So sure, because I was gonna do with the suicide man the butterfly doors. Yeah, bro, Like I'm from I'm from partial South, like Virginia is the South.
But you know what I'm saying, So you don't just listen to what DC Maryland? Like what d C and Maryland? They mirror the South. Yeah, period like we mirror everything south. There was like we went through East Coast phase with Biggie and but we mirror.
The last money was it Tappahannock?
Definitely just cash money?
Was it?
You?
You?
Yeah?
Everybody?
You know your purchase is the best one that we've had. What nigga, that's sixteen you bought?
But I had the amps in the back too. I had like I ain't gonna lie. I took out the whole back seat. It's like it was like six six sixteen and.
Knocking, locking fuga.
I was in Virginia thinking, I was, you know, you.
Pull up on that skating ring with that Oh god, it's first hit record. What changes for you in your mind?
Now? I mean now it's not now it's not guesswork. Now things are like this is what I do. Now, Things are automatic. Now, things are like it's more so what I need I can get.
It kind of was like you know when the kid, when I could just go to the movies with my homeboys because I did everything as a as a regular kid, you know what I'm saying, even being in Harlem to be in Virginia like I did, like regular, so I was used to being around people and being in an environment. As soon as that song went crazy, I couldn't go nowhere. I couldn't go to the mall. Like if I walked outside of the neighborhood that I was in, it would be people running down the street like so I was
still in Virginia. No, Well, and Jay took me out of Virginia as soon as as soon as I shot the deal, like I think my record came on. I was in tenth grade when my song came out and when I got my record deal. So and I didn't leave school until after my song had already hit the radio. So they's like, we got to pull them, we gotta, we gotta get him out of there. So then from there, I went from Virginia to Jersey, so so I could be closer to uh New York. But I couldn't even
walk down the street there like I was. We would literally have.
To drive in the garage every time we come home and shut the door. So nobody knows.
What's the what's the mindset?
Of that for you as this sixteen year old, fifteen, sixteen year old kid, Like, how does it? Because that's the one thing it's bro, And I know, I know he can attest to this because we are all so close and we've we've all known each other for so long. We have so many conversations that come to us about you, right, and my things always been.
I can't tell him.
I can only tell him so much because I haven't had that experience. And that's a very real thing that I think people have never truly taken into account that, Bro, this has been your life since fifteen years old. Like, just tell me if you can remember that as being like a fifteen year old, Like, yo, they're pulling me out of school, I can't go outside, I can't go to the movies.
You know, it's a lot of kid no more because of my challenging spirit. I like challenges.
It was amazing thing because I be real because guess what if Well, now I'm gonna look at the bright side.
I ain't got to be in school. I ain't got to be I could do my I got a two do. I don't got to be there. I could do. I can go out. Did you finish. I'm going Yeah I did, if you did, but I ain't gonna lie. I took the first two years off.
Of high school though college.
Yeah so I was originally supposed to be the class seven.
I'm kind of yeah, so so technically you two years younger to.
Yeah, I'll take it ship.
But yeah, man, it was so for you adjusted to it. Yeah, it wasn't and it would be fun. I would still do regular ship. I would just make sure I have my niggas around, like my homeboys, some of them being school.
I go to their school.
So my cousin just on a Friday, hey, y'all, come outside the girls, I saw them screaming. Then after that they come back to school on Monday.
They the man in school, you know.
So I used to go to the mall ship bo Bo did this ship too, like shout out to Bow. But we used to go to the mall, and I did it by myself, just to see what it was. I used to go to the mall and just go to one store it's popping in Virginia and like, hey that's and then take off running and wait, you would run before it even gets started.
Take We did this a man and it worked. I'm talking about they would table chase you was running out of man's land.
I was running out.
I was at I think Virginia Center comments. That's what it was we used to go to, and then I used to be at I used to go with what was it up against the wall.
It was another dtail all detailer. Yeah, said yeah, I'll be right there. They had to ship there, man, what all the girls being there? So and then I go in there and start with my homeboys to come with me, and then I see just so they'll notice who I am, like just on some young ship.
Then they'll be like, hold on, that is here's some R and V ship, R n V ship. Nigga can't just bust out rapping, look around and.
Facts.
It worked, absolutely worked. Okay, here here, here's what I want from you. Right when did you meet him? It was the Scream tour, that first album, that first album.
Right, I think it was. It had to be. It had to be like first album and the first album fatigues, Yes.
First album, yep. Okay, So so I'm watching I used to watch you in the Marin Battle. Yeah, and I used to I used to watch get You. Yeah, you would you would be like fuck, you would be angry nigga.
All right and I'll be back.
But I always say this to this day.
At that time, his discipline and what he learned and how he gets that niggas was not.
Fucking with that boy.
He's a monster.
I don't know about now because I get off now, but at that time, that boy was a monster.
He was a monster. But I want to go to the Scream tour.
I was using that to set up set up the Scream tour, and my cousin, my cousin and my people wanted to go to the tour, so we can't. We came to see you, and we came backstage and everything, and I'm watching you on stage and I had I hadn't seen you perform since the album was out, since everything was going crazy, I hadn't seen you perform yet, and you know, all had the records and he was, you know, of course he was headlined. But I watched you come out in those black fatigues and I watched
I can't do the move. I watched like you was the crumping and you were like pause, you was your arms were out this wide you was, you was. It was the like the whole fucking stage was in between y'all, and I'm looking. I'm like, he's getting ready to pass the guy. He's getting ready to pass him because I didn't see a kid on stage.
I saw a grown ass man on stage at the screen tour. He's getting ready and I'm looking at my little cousin. She's like, oh my god, you all right? You know, we go to church on Sunday, you know, we have today's fri listen, and we go backstage to take her to meet him and she sees, she sees this nigga Chris and the Flesh, and she goes, mm hm, So you are little? Did you as you are little?
That night I saw you, there was for me the beginning of the separation of you going to another place because I felt like you were I felt like you were angrier, you were more aggressive, and you had something in your mind that you were aiming.
You know what it was though, even being on that tour, like what I learned, and I learned from Bio a lot.
You know, he's like one of the greatest showmen as far.
As so the lack of discipline that I had. I had a great amount of training, meaning like okay, Sam's you know everybody, they're gonna they're gonna get us right with the moves. Were gonna have fun. And I was able to be also creative too. They didn't just say we're gonna do this. They let me come over with some things. But the thing that I felt that I lacked was the experienced one and and just the discipline that everybody else had.
You know, we it was B two K bow uh. It was so many other artists all polished here.
Yeah, so when you.
Would see their shows, you would see the glitz and the glamour.
Like me, I had a DJ booth, just a little DJ booth that I was slide from under with the dancers with the little smoke, and then I had a graffiti background, you know what I'm saying. And they maybe maybe gave me like twelve minutes. I probably had like not even that, it might have been eight minutes. So I had to, you know, figure it out. But seeing these other performers, it kind of like grew my hunger for what I needed to be doing in order to in order to be the person headlining, in order to
be the person that I think I can be. You know what I'm saying, so a lot of them, a lot of those guys, and seeing their performance, seeing their their quality and how out long they're dancing, and then they're just getting off and all the screams, like it was really the Scream Tour, like you, it's no other there's no other experience that I can tell you. At that time, was like forget all the festivals and stuff that they got going on right now.
Back then your ears were literally you would really go. Definitely shout out to Michael Martin. I saw him during the Grammy week.
I never met him before, and I just told him, I'm like, listen, man, what you did just what I mean obviously what you've.
Done in the business, pier, but that Scream Tour.
Jesus with giving that type of spotlight to young artists and putting him on that type of platform.
I don't know anyone that's done that.
I don't, I don't. I don't think it can be done right now. It's not like with you. I think that's sounds. I can't even recreate like I was just happy to be a part of it.
Like I was.
That's a legendary to recreate with these phones. Man, that's the other part.
Yeah, yeah, because because because like that stay was like still in that moment, it still was a place where you still felt like this is the only place I'm gonna get to see that.
Yeah, I'm only gonna see this type of shit here.
Like it was still that we hadn't gotten to the phone yet to where you could get used to seeing that type of shit all the time. It just runs all day. That's them scream to it. It was really screams, yeah, facts like motherfuckers. When you came on stage, it was they was glued from from from from top to bottom.
And I was nervous because that's like, you know, we had performed before, Like I've performed at different places I had to perform what is.
It playing in Hollywood? Different different places.
But there's a little venues when you I'm in an arena now, and it's even though I go on first, the parents back then they trying to get their kids into the building early. So now if the show starts at let's say nine, some people might not leave their house to eight thirty.
You know what I'm saying.
So, but back then, everybody's in there, sitting there waiting. So whoever the first artist is they either standing up or booing the ship.
Did you like, speaking of booing, did you ever experience a fucked up show.
Like early on?
Like early on?
No, No, I'm gonna be real, like I've never got like a boot, like a bad boot. I don't want to jinx myself, but but I've never got like he's not your nigga, But I've never I never got boot on a thousand hit records.
But you're not getting don't worry about that.
Almost I said, you almost got boo.
It started off with this moddy. That's my fault.
His playlist song wasn't working yeah radio so and he still wanted to sing yeah, which we're working.
It was it was.
Spent seven hundred thousand. I started singing the songs.
The girls in the front row looking at her friends. Oh oh god, I still.
Got two minutes and it's a tape, so that that you just gotta live that motherfucking out you.
Start, that's when you start thinking the most.
That's when I started sweating. That's when you get caught the mouth man.
Now I sucked up myself on stage, like did the back flip slipped? But I play it off or like you know what I'm saying, then stepped off the stage before and fell in the crowd.
But yeah, they still feel bad for because you're just being great.
Yeah they still screamed, oh my goddess.
Okay, oh my god.
Okay.
So off the first off, the first album, you start to you start to see what this thing is like. You start to see, you know, what fame is like, and how how you're gonna adjust. Did you ever have like the can I do it again? Because you know, people talk about the sophomore sophomore.
J I had that in my in the back of my head probably every day, you know what I'm saying.
So like, for me, it was because the first album was like a learning experience. I wrote with writers. I didn't really write, you know.
It was really how they kind of shaped what I what my ideas would be. The second album was like, okay, cool, well you've been you've been right the song selections, you're picking the choices, you know what you're doing. So but I feel like it's like the challenge thing again. I was like, you know what, I'm gonna try.
To prove them wrong.
You fought for that.
Yeah, like I said, I proved myself wrong with the with the first album.
So it's like, now now I'm gonna prove them wrong. I could do this ship. So I was. I had that sophomore Jinx in the back of my head.
What's the first first record from the second?
The second album? Damn Let Men Make Me Go? You know, I got a lot of damn albums, man, I.
Know. I think that's the album.
Records from the first from the first album?
Was it kids, Kiss? I'm yeah it was Kiss, wasn't it.
It had to it had to? Oh no, wall to Wall?
Oh yeah, well I think.
It was water Wall. It was absolutely absolutely water Wall then Kiss Kiss.
I imagine you're putting together your show set.
You know, look for tour now, bro, it's crazy because I'm trying to because you know, people are still in love with the older songs.
So it's like, I have no problem doing that.
But the only difference is when people come to my shows, I want them to see something like evolution. Like you know what I'm saying. They're not seeing the last tour that they saw. They're not seen the one before that. Every tour is completely different and it gives them, you know, the same nostalgia. But also with this with the new music. So it's so hard for us right now. I even I even put on my Instagram and Twitter, like, look what songs y'all want me to perform? They was like
all of them bitches. I said, we're gonna be there for three days.
I'm not, but you gotta think of it like this though, right, I always equated back to like Frankie Beverly and May. Yeah, Frankie Beverly and the same show in Arenas for twenty years.
With all due respect, they don't have a hundred.
No, no, no, let me get into. What I'm getting to is the variations of those songs that make it old to you.
Don't get don't get old to them.
Don't get old to them.
But at least how you how how they will see it?
Yeah, they remember that. They're telling that friends. Watch when he do this, he do this thing when he sings. Watch when there you're waiting.
You got a point too, that's the point. But I always want to how I look. I'll be like you know what, I want to always give them more. It's not like because you can see Chris Brown on YouTube, but you can go see it and be like all right, and then they're like man fell off.
I never want to hear that ship until I'm ready to be like, look, I'm tired.
I don't think because new material.
I'm not, You're not gonna be tired. But that was hypothetic.
You have like eight thousand songs and the what's.
The longest show you've done?
Ship?
The last one we just did. We just came from towards overseas. You came to it like two hours and fifteen minutes.
Hold on, let's nigga, that's let's go, let's go there, let's go there. Movie that's.
Over.
Ship.
I was like, Bag, we're going over seas to Chris Brown. What the fuck are you talking about? We're going to Paris.
Pack your ship. We're going to see Chris Brown. I told you. Now, make me tell you again.
Nigga, like you have enough room in his bag to bring me back a hoodie or nothing. No, no, mer don't like to travel like that.
That's why you should can't.
Okay, okay, march here now, merchant here, march here. We were in Paris and we pull up to the venue I'm hitting and we're here. He's like, all right, come to the back. And as we're at the venue. It's quiet outside of the venue the show. The show starts and like maybe like an hour, it's quiet, there's no traffic, there's there's there's nothing.
And I'm like, this is weird. This is Chris Brown show.
This is this is supposed to be It's supposed to be off the chain, house side, motherfucker is supposed to be bootlegging shit, all sorts of ship. Right, we walk into that Building's twenty thousand people already in there, probably two hours of They are in their seats like this ready but vernying on Dick Saponi's coming out soon, just sitting dispelly.
It's going to be so good.
And and you know, we're so used to seeing shows, you know, in the States and how people react in the States. But I wanted to go to Paris because I wanted to see people with a different mindset. I wanted to see people completely free of what this the state stigma.
Is, how you gotta be cool?
I'm people supposed to act, how the dudes is? I mean, I fuck with, I said I rock with. It wasn't none of that. I'm watching grown men go ape shoes. It was themselves in the music when these songs. Come on, I got a videotape of the entire arena jumping up and die. I'm like Jesus. Rice and we had talked about it before, before you got the overseas tour, and I said, Bro, I said, look, Bro, the world is getting ready to open up to you in such a way that I don't even think you could you even
understand it. And you was like, he was like, bro, I hear you, but I'm I'm I'm not gonna believe it until I see it.
Yeah, facts, I remember I told you that.
And we and we were sitting in your dress room backstage. I said, do you see this? I said, And I watched you for two nights in a row. I don't know how the fuck you did it for two and a half hours, dance and sing.
NonStop because I haven't been over there in a minute too, So by me having a tour out there, I was like, damn, this is I haven't toured over there in twelve years in certain places twelve like like London, certain places it has been twelve years. So I'm like, damn. So that they got a whole chunk of history that they ain't even sing. So I'm like, I can't be lazy and go on stage and do sixty minutes ninety minutes and be like all right, cool, we just give me out of new shit and getting out of it.
Sixty ninety minutes is the that's the regular show. And he's like, I can't.
I can't be nice because of the chuck.
Yeah, because because because think about it, it's it's people that's my age bringing their kids to the show, you know what I'm saying.
So they're like, now this is the person I like.
So it's almost like teaching a class again, like okay, cool, the kid might not know this song, but they mama know the song and they gonna pray, you know.
So.
But in that in that space, it's like it's like a different appreciation. Remember I was like, it's like not to discredit, you know, the US, but at the end of the day when you go over there.
It's like different.
You're really appreciated for the music.
They don't see you all the time either. Yeah you said they miss you, they miss you.
But R and B is still a thing. Listen, And I gotta say it like, we're not we're not slighting in the US, but the US is spoiled. They see us walking down the street, they see it's very sass to see. It's in Miami moving already, they see us and so overseas like even just just even outside of the presence their their thirst and desire for real music is just it's just different.
It's still old school over there.
It's it's it's the words songs and speak English.
That's gotta be great.
That's that's that's phenom. I never I could never understand that. It still makes me. I think I get more excited when I when I when I see that because I'm like, you know what, that that type of energy. They don't know what the fuck I'm saying, or they might now, but it's for them to like something that that bad and you know what I'm saying, that takes dedication. Yeah, but you know the States give me my love too, because I can't.
I can't lie.
Fuck the media aspect we talk about like we talk about when I when I when we geah them asses in them seats, you know what I'm saying, And so and they real fans like my fan base. I can say, you know, you got Nikki's fan base beyond these fan base.
Yeah, but the.
Fans, I feel like everybody them in their family, they got they always you know, I always a comment. I'll get on somebody asks if they go crazy in the comments, but I always listen and kind of like let them dictate certain aspects of Okay, y'all want to hear this. Y'all like this, like I like to be engaged with them, so they so they know that this shit ain't just like oh, all right, shut up and listen. And then I'm gonna make y'all follow me this way, you know
what I'm saying. I feel like as a family and the people that support me there, I love this person. You know, it'd be people's mama's kids. They be like, you know what, I love that boy like so and I can I can feel that energy. So when I get into an arena, you know the fans is the really wanted to keep me in.
Bro.
You change the meet and greet.
Oh yeah, you got some flat behind that too, like nigga, you literally change.
The meet and greek.
I'm gonna I want to say this, okay, all right, they got on his ass like I'm not doing okay, I might have to do something. Yeah, you got you gotta at least I might have to do something, you know what I'm saying. But the Chris Brown meet and Greek, it's out of control.
You might need to press that ship fun like I bet it's because.
Look where else in the time, Like everybody usually like you get your pictures back in the day, all the artists like yeah, you know, like like and I don't do I'm not doing like one hundred and fifty people a night, like you know what I'm saying. So might be a small intimate group of people that actually spent that money that they might not even have to come and meet me. So I'm not gonna make they moment, you know, I don't want to make their moment, just something Hey what's up?
Let me sign this? Get the funk out?
Like that's weak to me because I feel like these are the same people, no matter how big of that group or smaller that group, I feel like they're the same people. That's a part of the family aspect. So so and some of these girls is man, that's the bucket list. Some of them they like, Look.
All I want to do is just be able to be on him cool as long as you ain't got COVID were good.
I should tell my wife she should loosen up and let me. Yeah.
Yeah, but you can't do no motherfucking pictures with your shirt off because then you can't You can't you can't gauge the person. You don't know what might lick your stomach and something you're gonna be like hold.
Onto that you get off now.
But got you also?
In my opinion, bro, like, I've met a lot of people, I've friends with a lot of people. We've been in this industry a long time, and I really believe that you are the most.
How can I say you're the.
Your cares, bro cook, absolutely care, but the most accessible.
Yeah, superstar I've ever seen, literally, bro.
Yeah, Like I feel.
Like I feel like Jill probably humbled me on that one that Yeah, there's that. But being able to like go through ship and not have to be, you know, walk a thin line because a lot of artists have to walk a thin line unless you're independent. If you're like the mainstream, you can't do this. You can't be associated with somebody, You can't do a song because of
how it looks. Once that shit, like once I was able to still do music and they was and I got to be my regular nigga, Like, I got to be myself man, funk all this extra shit.
I can look if somebody come up to me, what's up you like with music?
All right?
What's I appreciate it?
Cool?
Can I get a.
Picture if I'm in a go Sorry not right now, but I appreciate you boom If I'm not, it's a million pictures, whether I'm drunk, whatever it is, I'm gonna take a picture with somebody, like, because I've been able, I've been humbled through whatever my experiences are.
Like, so I done went through bullshit. I and went through you know, normal nigga shit.
So it's like, you know what, let me uh, let me not take this ship for granted and be appreciative every single second, every single time I get to get a chance to like do anything or be around somebody.
This is a flowers pod, right, and so this is for you, your flowers. Take a second to to to speak on Team Breezy and and staying down with you through thick and thin. What is that feeling like to you?
It's the it's the imposter syndrome again, like you know, because it's it's it's unbelievable, like sometimes I wake up, I'm like, damn, people go by like whether I'm promoting, I don't care if there's some shoes I'm promoting or there's a there's a following of people, a big following.
Of people who who support me, you know what I'm saying.
So that also makes me the uh like cherish where I'm at, bros a Team Breezy, Like even to have a name for people to follow.
You is kind of crazy, you know what I'm saying.
So I feel like I'm appreciative, Like my fans know how much, and I try to let them in on stuff I talked to them, like I remember because somebody dates for the tours will come.
I say, look, y'all, get on my damn nerves.
If y'all ain't got the damn you sit on and got this, shut up the puck up and go.
To the next city.
So so so like but but I'm able to I wouldn't even be in this chair right now.
Like, but y'all my brother, so I probably would be in the chair.
But any success or anything that that's further that these songs that I'm putting out like that, ain't that ain't us paying somebody off and.
Trying to like please, like you know what I'm saying. That's that's really the fans, you know what I'm saying.
And they and they kept me here twenty almost twenty years now, so it's like for me to have that connection with them, it's probably.
The biggest thing ever, you know. So so I may that's why I'm always thirsty and still doing me. Why he's still doing this? Why it because of y'all? Like that's the reason real.
Talk shout out to Team Yeah, I talked to Team Breezy often talked they.
You know, as as as as as a Team Breezer. You know what I'm saying. Never with you shout out what's your favorite album?
Uh?
Out of mind?
Damn it's you know what it is? I can I have two? I got Eleven of the Motherfuckers.
Uh, my two will be my first one because of the experience that what we talked about earlier, like how it felt everything was was was amazing. So I think the first one and then my fame album.
Yeah, I got the Grammy Grammy album.
And the reason why I say that is because of the ship I had to go through around that time and still make music and people still listening to me despite maybe not come with me.
For real, I'm not liking New York, you know what I'm saying. The first canceled Nigga.
So you know, so those two albums kind of like were milestones in my career, Like the first one has shown me that I'm I'm able to do it, and then that album Okay you can do it, Yeah, I can do it again.
I'm gonna go the The first album, first album as a classic exclusive is special to me.
What's your favorite Chris song?
In the goal is.
What's your favorite Chris song? Okay? I know mine off the top of my head.
It changes, he just plays.
I still got my favorite, though you don't have your favorite.
It changes every time he plays me.
Something he just to this day, yeah, to this day. The Nigga played it for me a record plan, and I said, Nigga, the record tomorrow, the record.
The record that the record that haunts me, like a record that when I hear it, it takes me to where I was, like, it takes me back to Paris and watching on stage.
It's Indigo.
Yeah.
If there's something about the feeling, it's something about the conversation, it's something about Indigo, Bro, that is so special to me.
I don't know what it is.
It's the melodies, it's the trust, the production, it's the words, it's like my life. I'm like, it's special to me, super special.
And Heat.
And the reason Heat just got so embedded was because everybody thinks I'm singing on it. Everybody thinks I'm singing on Heat, and I never said I wasn't singing on Heat.
You know what I'm saying.
I don't think he knows what songs he's one of yours, since I think I'm singing backgrounds.
I was just I was just in a sensation on the other day and I was like, I was like, why does he sound like me on the end of this song?
Why does his ad libs? I said, funk, I did the ad libs? Got it?
Got it?
Because Chris will be like, get in the poof and just sing something of this ship.
I'm like, yeah, because I just need his voice and backgrounds, and he knows where to put the pockets at. So I'd be like, it'd been damn it, eight to nine songs already.
He never remembers, though, we'd be doing so much of it, and for me, it's just like in your space, I just try to make myself available for whatever it is you need. You know what I'm saying, whether it be whether it be musical conversation. Another question I wanted to ask you is probably a deeper question in and now in your stages of being a father. We we have so many loves, right, and love changes in terms of what it means as we grow. What does love mean to you?
Now, that's a deep question. What does love mean to me? Uh?
Love is scary to me, but at the same time, like it's too I'm full of it, you know what I'm saying, I'm full of love.
Like so I feel like my kids kind of like made me appreciate.
What that word mean, what the word meant like to love something outside of yourself, outside of anything.
That's like, that's that's great segue. Are they are? Are they making you more free to love, more open to love?
Yes? And no, they're they're making me more open to loving them. Then like I'm just.
I'm pouring all my love and them, but you're also very protective.
Yeah, but makes you yeah, not let more people in.
Yeah, But at the same time, like it's making me learn patience and making me learn just life skills that I that I I made. It might have been too too antsy for too busy for So I think love for me now is like it's expanding. It's like me, you're saying you have to have a favorite color, right, No, I really don't. I can actually find beauty in every all of the colors. So my uh, my thought process on love isn't as controlled as I thought it should be. It should be like this, it should be like no,
like love is an abundance to me. So I feel like it's like, all right, cool, I don't got Yeah I could.
I could do this out. Yeah, I can smile a lot more.
Yeah.
Now look look that's that's what you're for, what you've been through and what you've accomplished.
Yeah, you should smile more. Yeah, you know what I mean.
You should continue to have a good time because this this isn't given to everyone. Yeah, you know what I mean. It's especially your life and what you know. And but the thing that would make me angry when it came to you was that people didn't realize this.
Was your life, you know what I mean.
Everybody had an opinion or has an opinion of how you should live your life. And for me, as your brother, I've never had an opinion about how you should live your life. And you know we've had many a talk to in many a cities and many long nights, and I've never said you should do No, you should do what you want to do and live how you want to live and experience the things you want to because it's what makes you who you are, you know what
I mean. And you've been able to, like you said, average motherfucker can't go sit down and go and be in the whole tank and go to jail.
That's your experience. So whatever that put you there, you were able to man up.
Except that even though you did lose me a championship in the NBA E League because we were undefeated and then you went you had to go do too much and you.
Had to Yeah, I was like and then by the time I got out, I was not about to play.
The basketball and the season was over there for bad you And you was like Niga going in.
Two weeks, you have to have a fro. The stomach said, it's gonna be gone. It's gonna be going in two weeks. Two weeks and then two weeks I said, Okay, he's back.
Yeah I was, because they called me in them pictures. I think we went to like now I went to I went to South to France or something.
Bro.
They took the pictures and I was just seeing that that jelly roll. I said, what hell no, And then from there just dancing, dancing, dancing. I was even big on when I got out of jail for the for the BT Awards, when I had to when I when we came, I did loyal and I had to h This was when everybody's wearing for real hats. Yeah, like you know, the smoky the beer hat. But I remember having this outfit. I had to put the outfit on and it was like too small. The pants wouldn't fit.
Like I was.
I'm like a thirty four or thirty six, and I was like a few thirty Yeah, for sure, I was like a forty or something. Fordy. I'm talking about big boy big. I said, hold on, you know what, I can't do this no more.
But I was. I was.
I had to go through a lot of boot camp, dancing and everything else to get back.
But Nigga ship back though.
Yeah, because you was all right.
It was terrible. I'm telling you that my most depressing time of my life. Bro Chris Brown, it was a Brown Brown.
When did you really get into the business, like start owning the business of all of that, because that's what people really don't know about you.
I think, yeah.
I did that first, and I would be like I was seventeen when I started trying to invest in certain things just because I knew, like, you know, unless you torn, unless you like, you don't know how how long you're gonna be successful.
And it's not like every artist can make it look like.
They getting money, getting money, getting my If you not a touring act, if you're not doing stuff, you're not gonna you need.
An exit strategy.
So I would have, like, you know, the business people around me at the time, I can't say they were good at the time, but you know, my investments were like into burger kings and stuff like that, just so I could have a portfolio of and you know, constant income.
You know.
So that was my first step.
But when I really started getting into like the music side, like the executive side, it was like I was twenty five, and what happened was, uh, loyal and all these other records had already been been blowing up, so and I was out of my almost out of my contract, so I was able to negotiate.
I was like, well, cool, well.
Now that I have leverage as an actual not an artist, I don't want to be an artist. I want to be fifty to fifty profits shared with you guys. I want to have the same deal Birdman got Universal, like you know, you know, I acted around trying to figure out so I don't have to be getting you know, cents on the.
Dollar, right, you know, just living off advances.
You get what I'm saying.
So from there that was my first step boom, and then I think they were like oh and then they kind of like, you know what, fuck it.
We'll do it.
I'm like, shit, damn, I'm like the youngest nigga with this, with this deal right here. I don't think nobody knows, you know. So that was my first step.
Then after that was me trying to own my masters.
So I think when I was like twenty seven or twenty eight, like by that time, it was a renegotiation time, and I was like, hey, cool, I still want this, but let me get my masters from here. From from I think from my fame albuming up, I said, let me get the Masters from there, and then I'm able to come back and negotiate, you know, in six years for the.
First album and all of my shit.
So being able to have that type of structure deal like shout out the Mark Pits again, you know what I'm saying, Peter Edge, everybody that was you know, everybody that really kind of like looked and said, you know, we'll give them this deal. And Barry Rice, Barry Rice is like he put the shit down, like he really he the one that kind of allowed me to be like, you know what, here a fucking kid, take it.
You got it?
I mean, you had made him so much.
Yeah, but let's let's also speak on that. Let's not let's not just breeze over that the fact that you understood though, I got to prove myself first, because now we have these we have these new artists who come into the game thinking they can own the masters, Like why would I let you have the masters or why would you deserve your masters in the beginning, if someone is actually making the initial investment and.
They're not working.
So somebody walking into the door saying why I owe my masters? Okay, well what are you going to do with it? Do you know how to license it? Is there any distribution for it? And is it worth anything in the beginning? Right, so you were able to say, hey, listen, now I want from fame ongoing, and now I'll put myself in a position because I'll continue to be successful to come back again, renegotiate and get those initial albums as well. That's just smart business, and I think embedding
on yourself. But I think people want to skip the steps and say, oh well this labeled like listen, labors are going to be what they are. Labors are going to their banks and.
That's what they do.
But they also have infrastructure to put you in a place that's unimaginable.
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, I don't disagree with that at all, you.
Know what I mean.
And so I think you should be, for lack of a better term, a poster boy of like listen, just be successful, Just be great, You be great, You get everything you're supposed to out.
Of this ship.
Yeah, and get the right lawyers. Make sure your lawyers is looking a little bit of contract. Yeah, so you got to make sure everybody. You know, when I was young, I was I was fortunate enough to be saved on certain things, but I was my deals weren't always great. So once I was able to be able to be more independence, like, look, I got a little bit more leverage now, and they then, you know, they made all this money and all that.
So I'm more like, you know, I'm.
Able to now see real money or see something from what I've created because I know I created it. So now you know I can go and do this. Now I can create some more. Wait till you'll see what I'm about to create. So now I get to own all of that, you know. And and it's like like you said, I'm like a testament to that to hey, not saying put your head down, just be the best you right.
I feel like the way I go to the gym is the way you go to the studio. Yeah, It's like that's what I said. Your me and Green you should bench pressed. It's like, is there no no way limit?
Though I got something.
Something get a good fifty off now, But even in my my meeting Green pictures like there's some some joints and like some nights like you know what come on?
Yeah, because you know, like we can't do certain.
Things try something else, I get the same back.
I got your picture, I got next.
Listen already waiting for what these pictures gonna look like. Man, you know shit is gonna be insane. Oh shit, here's the last question.
Bro. How do you do like eight thousand songs in one night? Bro? Like you do?
How is that even possible that you I come to your house and there are I just left your house two days ago and I come back and there are twenty new songs.
How?
I just feel like a lot of the times, you know, how I used to be in the studio back in the day. Even I'm like, yo, come to the studio, Like I just I think, what did you call you?
Master?
Something that you spend more than a one hundred hours on or something? So I think I'll just try to overly, overly, overly overly master it. So me being in the studio, like I might have an idea in my head, or I might just hear some songs like man, I need to get on my game.
I need to steal.
It's like shooting jump shots, like you know, you gotta make sure if you don't, if you don't shop at the tube, it ain't gonna work. So I feel like me being in the studio is where I kind of live. I got two studios, you see in the house. I got two studios in the house, so I can change scening, real change, like you know, mental states.
When I'm in different studios.
I've never seen you're making the amount of songs that underdogs, all of us in different rooms used to make. It was it was six of us, and he's still making more. It's just wanting. We weren't making money at night.
We weren't writing twenty songs at night.
You got it.
You gotta how many things you have?
I said before like fifteen thousands, but then but then I think I miscalculated, you know, So it's it's a world champlainship.
Yeah that was that was I think I was thinking of it.
I'm like, okay, I got this, yeah a lot, So I'm gonna be realistic. And it's it's in the eight thousands to nine thousands, though it's a lot, like.
Like it's finished or just the pieces.
I can say pieces, It won't it won't be. It might be first verse, cause you know how I used to send demos out be first verse or chorse and then no second verse. So it'll be stuff like that. So it's like, yeah, collectively, is that a lot.
Of that'sag insane?
Bro mm hmmm, what you got for.
M h Come on, comfy Tea, you say what you got? You see you see his fitty comfy.
Shot out exclusive game. Come on, comfy Tea, turn these towels into a outfit.
It's the Superman music.
No, it's not. We don't want to be to.
The remix.
Team Breezy want to know what they want to know what we want to know. You've listened to a lot of music in your days, young man. Yeah, some of this music you've made your favorite. The world wants to know.
Your top five, saying.
This ship, your top five, top five, your top five RB sing whatever you already song? We all a lo you gotta show. I'm dancing to go. I'm really all to know.
If he has.
Top you top five.
Yeah, y'all gonna put me on the spot.
It's so damn mark to pick five. But look, I'll give you now. My ship might change in a couple of days.
Come on, Top five R and B singers right right now.
Today you're saying today, No, No, I'm saying how you feel today?
Your world.
So this is not biased because my brother in the room, you know, I say it all the time. Tank Usher, yes, Brandy Yeah, Tevin Campbell yeah, and Sam Cook Ship.
So that's my top five I can think of right now. Okay, all right, Kevin was really cold. Listen tomorrow whatever better?
Are you better than me? He was? He was killing grown men. Prodigy, he's a prodigy.
His rangers, he was gifted.
Chess boy. Oh my god, nigga, how do you still sing that high?
I'll get my nerves he'd be giving me. So I was like, bro, you can sing this one.
I don't know.
I think it's it's just like the adrenaline when you get on stage.
It's like, but even talking voices not My talking.
Voice is raspy, like I gotta, I gott but you're clear on records.
Yeah, So I don't know.
I'm just always I guess we sing from different parts when we when I talk, I don't think I'm talking from the same diaphragm is when I'm singing, So I'm pushing the air differently.
Yeah.
So I feel like that's why I'm able to still sound young and still sound like.
The old met but not the super young Me, not.
The fifteen, but at least I said, my voice hasn't like changed dramatically.
Nigga you and Ralph Treastman.
Yeah, I do not sound figure it out now. I listened to the Young Thank, I was like this, who is this?
Was this singing three?
So crazy? They like singing that whole song.
I will not breezy your top five R and B songs.
Oh, this is gonna be difficult, brother, braik my hair by.
Mario Ship, Heirl, Lily Girl, Lily, Somebody Sleeping.
Yeah, the remix.
Them so so differently.
Okay, Damn Oh, Sex Love and Pain that's you know, yes, the beginning, the.
Intro, the intro from the yes.
That he never does live, He's do it live. You don't given give him the ship though, Bro.
I listened to that before when I was on tour, any any tour I was on, I would listen to that as my warm up songs.
But I sing you, I need you right now. I need you right now, my brother. I need you on my team to tell him to do the damn sound even the song.
I need him to do the Sex Love and Pain album one Night Only.
Yeah, you gott at least you gotta give him that because that's my favorite album.
One Night Only, don't be scared.
Let's do that, alum, Let's do that one of those, one of them type of benu fact.
All right, one night Only.
I'm trying to think that's three, so I gotta think it two more.
Now.
This is all this subject to change now, is it? Superstar? Superstar?
Right?
And and Candy Rain so for really.
Yeah, so yeah, shout out to soul for real.
God, you know, I'm like what it need so for real.
But it's so difficult for me to come up with those five songs. And I had like ten other songs like.
A combo of so many are like four thousands, eight thousands.
Yeah, And I didn't want to add my songs in it. I wanted to get everybody to do that.
You know, how do you have a favorite Chris Brown song?
Shit? No, I have rarors I have. I have. I have times of when I when I like songs.
Man, this niggas is pouring champagne. You got some chage.
I told you yea Eras niggas breaking his own rest.
I think Eras is like certain songs that I what I was going through at certain.
Times, like damn, Like like how you like no bullshit?
For example, that era of no Bullshit and and Deuces those songs.
When we did those songs, that was like when I was at my lowest, Like I was like with the.
Back back against the wall, like no no support from the label, no support from radio.
They was like, you know what, we ain't fucking with you, mixt You're canceled.
Yeah, so these songs are mixtape songs that out ten months before we put them on on that album.
You know what I'm saying.
So and I'm I'm shot the video for like twenty five hundred each video Deduces video and no bullshit. But it was it was like being an independent artist and grinding your motherfucker yourself being like, you know what, I'm gonna prove them wrong.
So I could say those songs would.
Be an era, and then then it could be the next songs that I'm doing. So it switches all the time. Yeah, you know, I feel like I can always go back to different songs and then relive those moments in my head and be like damn that happened, and also remind myself like damn, I do remember that, you know.
So it's billed your voltron you're super R and B artists. We want to know who you're going to get the vocal from, the performance style, the styling, from the heart of the artist, the passion of the artists. And since you know, since you're a songwriter, who's gonna write for that artist, Let's start with the vocal. Who you're getting the vocal from for your super R and B artists?
The vocal. Damn, I'm gonna go with Tevin Campbell.
I'm gonna just as far as the as far as the vocal, yeah, like the range or whatever.
You Yeah, I'm going with Tevan. Your voice his voice is different. His voice was just cold.
Wasn't supposed to be like that.
No, So I'm gonna go I'm gonna go with the voice wise, Yeah, yeah, between him and Mike, because Mike.
Just got pick one or you can mix it. What.
Yes, it's gonna be like a hybrid. It's gonna be Mike and Tevin Jackson.
Okay, uh performing style on stage Michael Jackson.
I could have guessed down should Yeah, that was easy? Yeah, Okay, styling, who's gonna put this?
Damn Uh, it's gonna be a hybrid. Another hybrid. It's gonna be like a trifecta hybrid Michael, me and and Usher mm hmm as far as styling, and I gotta say yes in this in this category because like and through his eerrors, from the my Ways to the you know, everything he'd done has has been visually like stamped in your head to wearic iconic, you know what I'm saying.
He made niggas wear coofies and ship like you remember.
So it's like certain things will always be embedded in style and fragments to me. So it's like Michael was the definition of that, Like he could wear wrestling looking yeah, like being his own icon.
I think when we talk about styling, not even to stop you here, but I think you're the first person, the first artist that I've ever walked into the room to the dressing room and they were like the racks. There were racks on racks on racks of clothes and you had no idea what you were going to put on like that night. You don't you don't have a uniform where you're like, Okay, this is the tour fit and these are the combinations of the tour fit. This is where this I was like what are you gonna wear?
He's like, oh no, I'm about to look through it right now. He getting dressed in school, like like he getting dressed in Marcus.
Let me just grab somebody. I've never seen anything like that in my life.
So what I've done the last couple of tours and this tour is gonna be a little different.
So we have a set to where.
Because I don't want to give too much, I want you to come and see it, but I'm going to have changes in the outfice. But the outfite is going to be more customized like a lot of like designers are making specific stuff for me, so it'll be more So it goes along with the with the actual show of what I'm trying to show, like the Broadway style of what I'm trying to show, but before like the last toy you were at and the different ones. The stage that I've built is is you can change your
outfit every night. You could be something different because the stage doesn't it doesn't have a certain Yeah, it has a freedom about it. So we just have a rack of clothes and long as long as I can dance in them and it's not not too tight or the shirts is like, you know, I'm putting on something different every night.
I always think of behind the things.
I'll be thinking about the nigga that has to put take all that out and put off.
And he be trying to figure out a way to steal some ship.
Of course I'm ahead that fits.
Yeah, always comes back with something.
Because this nigga not afraid to ask, because look that's like, look, little bro, you already want to.
You can take you can take it. I'm like a whole that jacket like ship, the passion of.
The artist, passionate the artist, Prince I would say prince cold passion because you can play every instrument right and mean it.
Man, what mean it?
Come?
Get this hit? Get this hit?
Who who says that?
Like I would have been like that, I'm keeping this record. You don't want this record? No? He he know he he is the ship passion.
You start doing that, you got a gang here records telling niggas that get the song.
Who's going to write for that artist?
Damn, there's so many damn good writers. Who's gonna write?
I was I couldn't say Phil Collins because it wouldn't be cool because Phil Collins is one of my like he's one of the dope writers.
Out all time. Why can't Phil Collins write the records?
Yeah?
I think Phil could do it, but I would say Quincy Jones.
I mean, there's no argument.
Yeah, I was just like, I'm goa Thay curveball though. Yeah, who's gonna do the choreography?
Damn?
Come on, man, use a stepper, Use a real deal stepper.
You know what it would have to be.
It would have to be a collective because in that dancing ships, so many come on on, so many people who made you know, I'm talking about fly fly styles, SAMs, Josh Smith.
We got Lavel? Uh?
Is it label Franklin who he taught me a thriller? His name is Lavel, but he takes that. Yeah, world music wars when I was young. Sorry I'm forgetting his last name, but you got super Damn you got man.
I'm trying to think I.
Did this on purpose.
To give, but.
You're not even trying to get you. This is what our podcast is about. Podcast is about Jamaica. I'm thinking to him still, It's about celebrating. It's about celebrating people that aren't always celebrated publicly.
Absolutely absolutely, who.
Means so much to what we do and has have meant so much to what you do because they mold God, they shaped all that ship.
Yeah, one hundred percent. So I mean there's so many different people that that I'm leaving out too. So I know they're like, man, he didn't say my name.
My bad. You know.
At the same time, it would be with that dance ship. It would have to be a collective group. It still makes it's a village that make it, you know, take a village to crazy.
Yeah.
So, yeah, we've come to the point.
I ain't saying no names. Hey, I ain't saying no names. Saying no names. I ain't saying no niggs.
Weird know what you did? Don't say she ain't saying no name, no name? All right?
Cool?
Hold hold on.
I listened to like, Okay, this sounds like I got to say some funny she give you exactly right now.
You are at a very important part of the show. Yeah, it's called I ain't saying no names. Will you tell us a story funny or funked up? Are funny and fuck? The only rule to the game. The rules is you can't say no names name all right?
Cool? Well, I ain't saying no names.
Yeah, come on, come on.
But yeah, So there was this artist, and this artist wanted to go out to the club with us, so, you know, huge artists. So I'm like, all right, cool, me, me and my crib, We're gonna go to the club. It's it's nigga night, it's turn up night. You know it's gonna be another artist in their performing. And that artist song was the number one song in the country. I'm talking about going crazy.
We get in the club, I make sure we got the whole section full of women.
So the person in there he looking around the song. Come on, the other artist is on stage, start singing a song. The whole building erupts. I'm talking about it erupts, like everybody. Girls in our section, Girl, they going crazy. I look over to this person.
He ain't feeling.
I'm talking about, not a smirk, not a head, no nothing. I turned back to look at the artists. But the next time I turned back to look at the person in my section, they gone, I don't see him.
I'm like, what that? What is nigga win? I look up.
The nigga is on the DJ booth right next to the artist that's doing the song.
And he just like this the nigga.
When the song goes off, the nigga takes the mic, takes the mic. So I'm thinking this artist is about to do some songs. I'm like, okay, he got he got the itch like you know, you know some artists can't take it, you know, they self sender though they you know, it got to.
Syndrome. Like I'm not one of those.
I know how to be like, oh this is litter here, but I can read it all over this person's face. Get the mic. I'm thinking he about to do it songs or do something.
I'm like, oh, this is crazy about to go crazy here.
Yeah, the nigga goes on a forty five minute rent.
I'm talking about talking. I'm talking about saying all of everything that about nothing. It's like it's it's so just like disappointing. Like when I was in there, I started looking around and then from the club being a yeah, everybody turning up, maybe holler as some girls, what's up, it went from that to looking like the waiting room in Hell.
That's what I felt like.
It was like, yeah, like everybody turned into psychopath people. And he was not saying you know what I'm saying the topic of what his rent was about was was like, what the fuck put the music back on?
Like that's you know, that's how I feel.
So in that club, there's a there's a secret area that's like a resting area. You can go down at the club, so I said, I told one of hummies, I can't.
I don't want to sit up here and hear this shit all night. So I'm going downstairs. I'm a cheer. I'm gonna smoke this blunt downstairs. Whatever we doing, boom boom.
And by this nigga gonna stop talking soun later, so you know, I'm gonna go back up there afterwards. I'm down that motherfucker for about twenty to thirty minutes and.
Are you still here?
No?
Right right right right right over the over the this hit.
It took over the club.
This is how it ended for me, anyway. So I get up back into the section. Half of the girls is gone, most of most of the most of.
The fine girl. They yeah, I'm like, man, what the fuck is going on?
The last thing I hear such and such, ain't stick they finger in my booty.
I don't even play.
That way, I said, Yeah, I'm out this motherfucker. Look and I look to our mutual friend that was there, was there. I said, you gotta be a nigga and stop letting this niggas be like this.
Your ays need to be able to tell your friends. Stop being a yes man. You need to be like, look, nigga, this ain't it. You don't say this type of shit. And I left the club. I ain't even answer no phone calls.
I ain't go on home.
I ain't gonna say no names.
Yeah you can whoever was in that club though they like I was there, I was there be to come.
I was there the finger.
No no, not each love.
Brother, Chris brown Man. When I say we you.
Even it's another thank you. I got to give you one. Will always keep me your word. Something you've always done from the day I've met you. If you say you're gonna do something, you're gonna do it.
Yeah you might be late, yeah a little late, but you know, oh.
Shit happens, but you always do what you say you're gonna do. And I want to thank you for. At the time, I was managing the artist named Love Rants and there was this record that we had and I had this crazy idea to turn this rap record into an R and B song. You heard it and you was like, Nigga, I'm coming to do it tomorrow. Yeah, and you put up in your fast car, you knock the shit out, and this record has lived on to this day.
I cannot go to a club.
It's still I'm going to hear the R and B version of up to this day. Nigga, send me videos from friends, send.
Me video on it anywhere in the world.
And the fact that you obviously you did that for me because we're brothers, but the fact that you were able to help me make this record that came from the Bey area and my young boys had had this song.
And it was blown up and you helped.
Them take the record worldwide. I just want to say thank you, No, thank you, I appreciate you that for that.
I appreciate you. You see, I'm bad with thank you.
Like when people think me become like real ship, you help me all the same in the same token. I look at it like like if you would have called and if it was a Wax song, we would be like like, let's.
Try a different record.
But it's like, you know what what a song gonna do?
And then at the same time, it's even easier when it's when it's like family. When you got people that's around you that are musically gifted and they do the same thing you do. It's not a conversation like nah, I can't really do it, or no, I'm here whatever you need, you know. So I appreciate y'all.
Bro.
I am upset that this song was was on fire, super flames, right, and this nigga wouldn't go nowhere and.
Performance or I was becoming your manager.
That ship he was, he.
Was, he was behind the scenes, and it was promoters offering him the best.
We had some other ship we had to do though.
Man, I don't know.
Look at us now, Look at us now?
You got records now?
Yeah, yeah, they be lonely. What the fuck is we doing? I'm just saying, y'all know me and this nigga got a record again. It's all right, it's so way. Let y'all know that we got a record.
Thank you again.
Listen, brother to say we love you would be an understatement. You already know what that means.
My brothers.
We don't play no games about Breezy. You know what I'm saying. And that's in real life.
That's not that's not music, that's not entertainment, that's that's real life, in real life. And so I think people have known by you know, all the times I've jumped in the in the comments to make sure fuck you niggas up you fuck around with the fuck around yeah alone. But my congratulations to you man for continuing to work hard, bro. And I think that that's the separation between you and everybody that you've probably seen from the last twenty something years come and go.
You just won't stop working.
And and that is commendable with the success that you've had, that you are still aspiring and still pushing to do more and to be greater. Like if if if I'm telling my son to chase anything saying you watch Chris Brown, you watch that journey and you watch him work, and that's how you work, and that's how you find it.
We appreciate you, man. Listen, man, my name is Tank Man.
And this is the R and Money podcast them on all.
Things R and B one of the greatest to ever do it.
Yeah, R and B Money.
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 Jay Valentine and at the Real Tank. For the extended episode, subscribe to YouTube dot com, Forward, slash r, and b Money
